Vacation isn’t a luxury; it is critical to rebooting our productivity and refreshing our souls. Now that we are always connected and work can be super mobile, we are always accessible. And while I appreciate the freedom and flexibility, I think it is often at our peril. Wouldn’t you like to just walk away from your desk for a week and really relax?
Of course you would.
So whether you work in a traditional office environment or have a more flexible arrangement, there are a couple of things you should do if you are going to get the full benefit of your vacation time.
Make a plan.
Take a look at your usual workload. Decide which tasks must be taken care of before you leave and which can be delegated to someone else in your absence. Seriously, let someone step in for you as much as possible. That way you truly get some downtime without having to pay for it by working twice as hard when you get back.
Set expectations.
Decide what your availability will be. Will you be answering your phone? Checking email? Available for conference calls or webinars? (Make sure you say “I’m ignoring EVERYTHING” for a few days at least once a year. ) If you know you can’t help yourself and will be keeping tabs from your Blackberry or iPhone, give yourself a limited window to check in and a high threshold for the need to respond.
Redirect.
You will change your voicemail message and turn on your email auto responder, right? Of course you will. State simply and firmly that you are away from this date to that date and will return messages upon your return. Give them an alternate contact for the tasks you’ve delegated, for the urgent, and for those that require immediate human contact.
So go ahead, take a real restorative vacation. Work will be here for you when you get back.
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