If you are planning an upcoming vacation, there are steps you can take
to alleviate some of these concerns. By preparing in advance, you can
leave the office ready to enjoy your days off. Here are a few
suggestions:
* Anticipate potential problems. Thoroughly
assess your workload several weeks before your vacation. Are there any
projects that will require attention while you're gone? If so, what are
some possible solutions? Developing a plan of action will help you feel
that the project is under control, which can make it easier to leave
the office.
* Delegate. This can be the ideal time for
your employees to assume new responsibilities and expand their skill
sets. Designate someone as the point person to deal with problems or
questions in your absence. Make sure the individual selected for this
role has clear instructions on what to expect and how to handle certain
types of situations.
* Trust your staff. If you've made good hiring choices, you should have
a team of employees capable of managing whatever may happen while
you're out. Empower them to make smart decisions and demonstrate your
trust by not checking in to see how they're doing. Let them know they
can call you if there's an emergency, but that they should use their
best judgment to handle most issues.
* Inform people of your absence. Let clients, key contacts and staff know well in
advance that you'll be out of the office. This will give them adequate
time to prepare and help prevent last-minute requests before you leave.
* Get ready. You'll no doubt want to finish projects and clean out your
inbox in the days just prior to your vacation. Take this into account
and try not to book any meetings or non-essential activities during
this period.
* Leave out-of-office messages. Change your email and voice mail to
indicate that you are out of the office. Give people an alternate
contact should they need assistance in your absence. That way you won't
be flooded with urgent issues when you return to the office.
Separating Work and Personal Time
Keep in mind that everyone takes time off, so you should feel
comfortable leaving work for a short period of time. In fact, more than
one-half (54 percent) of executives polled in a recent survey said they rarely or never bring projects with them on
vacation.
Taking a break is essential to recharging and bringing a fresh approach
to business initiatives and challenges. When possible, establish a
schedule for checking messages--for example, twice daily or once every
evening. Give your contact information to a coworker or manager so you
can be reached in case of an emergency.
Even if you plan on staying home, don't underestimate the value of this
time off. Treat your days at home as you would a vacation involving
travel.
Returning to the Office
Before leaving on your break, plan your first day back. It's easier to
readjust and get up to speed at work if there's some structure to your
schedule. Allot time to meet with employees, review project updates and
check your messages.
When possible, try to return from a trip one or two days before you
plan to go back to work. You'll be better able to focus at the office
if you're not worried about post-trip concerns such as unpacking and
errands.
Another recent survey found that most executives need an
average of 1 and 1/2 days to return to normal productivity levels following
a vacation. Colleagues and staff are eager to get the details of your
holiday. To avoid taking too much time when people stop by, give a
quick synopsis of your trip and offer to provide more detail during a
lunch break or after work.
Taking a vacation is an important way to prevent burnout and bring a
new perspective to your work. Prepare carefully for your days off and
develop a strategy for your return. You'll help to ease some of the
stress associated with leaving the office and ultimately get more
enjoyment from your personal time.
Source: Special thanks to
Max Messmer, Chairman and CEO of Robert Half International Inc.
