It’s that time again. The weather is getting cooler and the holidays are quickly approaching. While that means a lot of time off spent with family and friends, it can also mean a never-ending to-do list when you return to work in the new year. Keep reading for a few tips on how to best prepare now for a vacation now to avoid feeling stressed and panicked when you get back.
Close Out Pending Tasks
Leading up to a vacation, try to close out as many pending tasks as you can. Make sure to prioritize any tasks where people are depending on you to complete so they can perform their jobs. Next, tackle any tasks that are time sensitive or have a hard deadline. You should also create a to-do-list or make a note of the tasks that you didn’t finish so you can pick up from exactly where you left off when you return.
Organize Your Calendar Accordingly
Next, make sure your calendar is up to date and that you don’t have anything scheduled during your time off. If you have any meetings that are repeated weekly, make sure to decline the meeting for the days you are off or send a reminder to the people in the meeting that you won’t be attending. Also, make sure to schedule any upcoming calls for the days when you return, but leave enough time to get organized and refamiliarize yourself with the subject matter of the call beforehand.
Proactive Communication
Also, the key to not working on your vacation is proactive communication, both internally with your team and externally with any clients. For example, I had a client email me over my vacation with an emergency. All I had to do was forward the email to my colleague and since I had coordinated with her before I left, she was able to handle the situation. I had also informed my client that my colleague would handle any matters while I was gone, so they weren’t surprised when I didn’t email them back and my colleague did.
Working on vacation should not be the new norm. If you do find yourself working over vacation, then it’s due to poor planning on your part. Be prepared to work extra the week before in order to tie up any loose ends. Vacation should be a time to decompress and spend time with family and friends so that you come back refreshed and ready to work.
