Ways to Make Sure Your Work Stays at Work While on Vacation

8 Ways to Make Sure Your Work Stays at Work While on Vacation

Most of us are guilty of feeling guilty for taking vacation. We often want to check out emails, respond to phone calls, be available for any and all work questions.

But, as I discussed in my last article, your vacation is important! There are so many health reasons that it is unproductive to NOT take a vacation.

Here are some ways to help you keep your work at work so you can focus on enjoying your time off!

Share the Latest Information

When you take vacation, your job doesn’t end. Someone has to pick up the tasks to ensure things continue. In order to help this person take care of ALL responsibilities leaving your email inbox clear, make sure to update all important and not-as-important information for the tasks.

• Did you manage to finish creating the brochure? Make sure to notify all the team members.

• Did you start outlining a strategy? Make sure the related team members know.

• ETC

Delegate Your Tasks

There might be one person who takes over your tasks, but keep in mind, they probably have their own work to accomplish as well. Try giving team members your tasks that work well with their own tasks.

• For any graphic design tasks, delegate those to another graphic design member rather than a writer.

• For any budget planning tasks, delegate those to someone involved with finances rather than the graphic designer.

• ETC

This will ensure that your tasks are being handled appropriately while other responsibilities aren’t pushed to the side (or yours).

Write Up Reports

Similarly to sharing updates on individual projects, another way to make sure work stays at work during your vacation is to write up reports for the “higher ups.”

These reports can outline what has been done, what needs to be done while you are gone, and what are some back-up plans or plans to move forward when you come back. It can also include who is in charge of each of your tasks so THEY know who to go to (rather than you) during your vacation.

Outline Outcomes

With all team members, discuss what deliverables are required. Because they aren’t full owners of this task, they might not know exactly what is expected.

Make sure to go over expectations with each person so that they won’t have additional questions for you while you are on vacation!

Start Transitioning Tasks a Few Days Before

Another way to make sure work stays at work while on vacation is to start transitioning your tasks to the team a few days before. This allows for any questions YOU might not have thought of to arise. It is better for questions to arise while you are still in the office and not when you are on a beach drinking out of a coconut.

Clean & Organize Your Desk

However, one thing you can probably do on your last day is to clean and organize your desk. If there are anyone who drops by, they will see that you are not in the office and have not been for some days.

A clear indicator: “Don’t bother me.”

Create Out-of-Office Emails

Creating out of office emails is sometimes missed by workers. It is a small thing, but it can do so much.

If there is someone who works with you that doesn’t work in the office or is remote, receiving an automatic email saying you are out of office let’s them know.

Of course, one should email all colleagues as part of the transition process, but if that is missed, an out of office automatic email will do the trick.

Within this email, state:

• How long you will be out of office

• Who they can contact (not you)

• You could reiterate that you are not working

Fun Way: Bring a Change of Clothes

This one isn’t a professional tip to making sure work stays at work while on vacation, but it is kind of fun!

Bring a change of clothes to the office. On your last day, before your vacation, change to your vacation clothes right before leaving (or something that isn’t work related). It will really solidify in your mind that you are leaving work at work and you aren’t bringing it home.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget – have fun on your vacation!

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