The winter months are a great time to get away to somewhere warmer and leave work at work. The problem is that many of us have a hard time doing just that. There are emails to be read, phone calls to be answered and beginning-of-the-year work to be done. With that in mind, here are a few tips for making the most of your vacation this winter.
Prepare for Your Time Out of the Office. The key to an enjoyable vacation is to set yourself up for success before leaving work. First, make sure that you are fully prepared to get right back to work when you return by organizing your desk as well as your emails and electronic files. You may also want to create a to-do list so that you remember what needs to be done on your first day back at the office. It can be tough to get back into the swing of things on that first day, so having it all written down will make it easy to remember!
Keep Employees and Coworkers in the Loop. Make sure that everyone you work with knows well in advance that you will be away and will not be able to see emails or answer your phone. Let them know when you will be returning so that they know when to expect you back. You will also want to set up a voicemail with this information and put up an away message in your email detailing what days you will be absent.
Unplug Yourself from Work. If you’ve gotten yourself well-organized and made everyone in the office aware of your inability to check email and phone calls while you’re out, then the only thing standing in your way of focusing on vacation is you. Don’t bring your work phone on vacation. Don’t check work emails on your personal phone or laptop. Just forget about your duties for a short while and enjoy your vacation while you have it!
Relax. If you’re a career-driven person, this can be a difficult concept even outside of the office. But with your email and phone both put away, the only thing left to turn off is yourself. You only get so many vacations, and work will be waiting for you when you get back regardless of how much you worry about it while you’re away. Use your vacation days to take a deep breath and relax. Be with your family, enjoy yourself and worry about work when you’re back in the office. Not only is this good for your own mental health, but it will allow you to come back to the office feeling refreshed and ready to get back into the swing of things!
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