Being able to detach while on vacation can help you achieve what most companies want to happen on that vacation–r and r and recharging.
Here are some tips that can help you accomplish that without jeopardizing your job.
- Make a list. Before you leave, take the time to make a list of what is important, what is outstanding, and what can be delayed until your return. For each of those items make a plan for the continuation of the work. Review these items with your boss or other people who are involved. Delegate where you can. Having this plan laid out in advance will minimize your stress while you are on vacation.
- Leave tracks. Before you leave for vacation, make sure that your top projects or duties have “tracks”, in other words, ways for others to figure out its status.
- Buddy up. For those critical tasks, make sure someone else knows how to handle them. This is a great management principle anytime, but it is always better to make sure more than one person knows how to do any task. And especially when you are going to be away for a period of time – Buddy up and make sure at least one other person knows your procedures.
- Designate another you. For those situations that you have not anticipated,: a sub! In other words give the people you work with the name of someone to contact, and who will be responsible for handling the unexpected situation in the same manner that you can. This is important, because having a “go to” person continues a chain of responsibility.
- Allow yourself limited access. Before you leave for vacation, have a picture in your mind as to how much time you’re going to spend on work, when you’re going to access your voice mail or email. Let others in the office know these plans, and then the most important part of this is for you to STICK to it! This way, they know what to expect, and you have already laid down rules that you can follow yourself.
- Enjoy your vacation. Agree with yourself that detaching is healthy for you, and your organization, so give yourself permission to detach!
