You saved up your PTO and planned that much-needed cruise to Bermuda, trip to Barcelona, or Bachelor binge sesh. Whether you’re going on a vacay or doing a stay-cay, taking a vacation from work is incredibly important for your mental health. Studies have shown that not taking time off work can lead to burnout and can negatively affect not only your mood, but the mood of the people you work with.
“Going on vacation usually leads up to be the most productive time for an employee because they accomplish so much right before they leave! So, plan your next vacation now and give your company that extra surge right before you leave. If you’re the boss, ask your employees where they are going next and help them schedule time off so you can all feel the benefits!” says Sharon Tsao, CMO, Contemporary Staffing Solutions.
So, if you needed a sign to take a trip, here it is! While away, you want to relax and untangle yourself from work. To help, CSS has put together some tips on how to leave work at the office!
Take Inventory
- Before you run out of the office at breakneck speed on the last day before vacation, take inventory of everything that needs to be done before you leave and pinpoint what tasks/projects need to be handled while you’re away.
Create a Timeline
- Create a timeline of all the work you need to get done in order to accomplish all that you feasibly can before you depart and delegate other duties as needed.
Delegate
- If you’re passing some of your work to one of your team members, make sure to sit down with them and go over your projects so they know exactly what’s expected and what they have to do. You’ll also want to set up time to talk to your boss to go over your game plan for when you’re gone.
Connect with your Back-Up Person
Make sure to let any necessary parties (employees, clients, vendors, your mom, etc.) that you will not be in the office within a certain time-frame. If you have one specific back-up, introduce your clients to this this person and let them know they’ll be assisting them in your absence.
“You definitely don’t want a co-worker or client waiting for you to respond to an urgent email while you’re ten thousand feet above sea level hiking up the Rockies,” says Steve Scovner, Account Executive at Contemporary Staffing Solutions.
Inform Banks, Financial Advisors, and Lawyers
- Updating your will, paying your insurance premiums, telling your banks, and your wireless carrier are all important steps to cover before you run away from life. Be sure to have their contact information in the event of an emergency!
Set up an Out of Office
- Wait—what if you forgot to tell someone? Set up out of office replies for your email with your backup’s contact info and let them know when you’ll be back in the office again (maybe set it as the day after you get back from vacation so you have time to catch up once you’re back). Just to be safe, add the dates you’ll be out to your email signature a few weeks ahead of time:
Relax
- Have the brand-new iPhone? Not anymore—it’s dead to you. The biggest issue employees face while on vacation is disconnecting from work. This lack of separation increases anxiety in people, and, well, vacation is kinda supposed to be the exact opposite of anxiety-inducing. While it may be hard for you to completely ditch your phone, laptop, or tablet completely (you do have to post pics on Facebook after all), try to ignore your work email or delete the email app temporarily. Instead, pick up a good book or watch some movies to help you unwind.
Enjoy Time Outdoors
- If you can put your phone away altogether (meaning not just no work emails, but also no Instagram posts and no Snapchats) or greatly limit your use, you will do yourself a world of good. By separating yourself from your tiny computer and getting active outdoors, you will improve your mood and overall well-being. Being out in nature has significant health benefits, so catch some rays on your days off!
Get Ready to Come Back
- You had a great vacation and got some vital chill time. Nothing gold can stay though, and now it’s time to go back to work. While the thought of getting back to work may seem daunting, if you planned ahead of time, you can rest easy knowing that your workload won’t be too massive. If you’re stressed about returning, take some time the night before or the morning of to map out what you need to handle immediately. You can only accomplish so much on your first day back, so set reasonable expectations and be kind to yourself.Looking for your next job, maybe one with a great time off plan? CSS can help! Call today and partner with one of our wonderful recruiters to help you in your job search!Read More helpful & inspiring tips here.
Contemporary Staffing connects job seekers to hiring managers nationally in the following professions: Accounting & Finance, Call Center & Office, Human Resources, IT, Salesforce, and Sales & Marketing.