Outta here: 5 ways to enjoy your vacation without being tied to work
If you’ve been looking forward to a relaxing or adventurous vacation this
summer, here are 5 tips to help ensure a little serenity while you’re away from work:
1. Lighten your workload: Don’t begin working on large projects before you leave or you’ll run the risk of prompting a major issue while you’re gone or feeling overwhelmed when you come back.
Plan your projects around your vacation, meaning no difficult proposals or tricky negotiations the day before you leave and the day you get back. Try to dial down your work before catching that flight out of town.
2. Let your co-workers know: Although you don’t need to cover every aspect of your job while you’re away, it’s a good move to let your co-workers know when you’re leaving the office and when you’re returning. It will give them a chance to take care of any unfinished business before you leave and also sets a timeline for when you won’t be around to assist them with those pesky last-minute projects. Also, find a co-worker who is willing to handle the fires that may break out while you’re away and then offer to do the same while he or she is on vacation.
3. Go public: Create a vacation voicemail and an automated out-of-theoffice email response. Most people who call or email when you’re gone have their own vacation planned, so they’re usually respectful of your time away. The idea is to maintain a professional front with your clients and co-workers, even when you’re drinking a neon-colored concoction out of a four-foot, plastic beaker 1,000 miles away.
4. Set some rules: Don’t go overboard handing out your phone number to every co-worker or client. If there’s an actual
emergency, your boss will get in touch. To control the panic-button mentality, you can let your boss or cubicle mates know that you’ll be checking emails every couple of days if they have any questions or concerns.
5. Avoid the 9-to-5 timeline: We all say we won’t be tethered to the office when we go on vacation but that’s easier said than done. If you need to check your email, wake up an hour earlier each day to do so, preferably while the other members of your party are still sleeping off those late-night mojitos or mango smoothies. Set an off-hours schedule for your work-related activities and then stick with it.