As summer is that wonderful time for so many to take off for vacation and detach from their job stresses and strains, it’s time now to think about exactly how you’ll plan your exit.
Throughout my career, I’ve had every manner of work situation and crisis emerge while I was on vacation, and sometimes I handled it well, but other times not so well. If you want to truly unplug, relax and get away with your family and friends, here are 5 critical ways to unplug and make it work:
1) Make a firm commitment to yourself and your family about how much work you’ll do, and guard that commitment fiercely.
For example, decide up front how many times you’ll check your devices , and stick to it. If you check your phone and email every fifteen minutes, you won’t be able to unplug and detox from the stresses of your job and professional life. Your mind can’t disengage sufficiently to focus on your vacation, your family and friends, and your new surroundings. If you have to check in, do it in a limited way, perhaps three times in a week, and make it after work hours if you can.
2) Communicate to your colleagues and supervisors about your vacation well beforehand, to inform everyone who needs to know.
Well in advance of your vacation, make it clear when you’ll be gone and that you will have limited access to email on vacation. Clarify that if they need something from you, they’ll need to ask for it and get it before you leave. Don’t set up the expectation that they can bother you day and night and that you’ll be responsive to those requests.
3) Build a clear boundary – set your vacation reply on your email.
This will inform everyone who contacts you that will have limited access to email and will respond as soon as you can after your return.
4) Assign someone you trust as your key point person.
If you can, assign someone reliable and who knows you well as the key point person for you when you’re gone. This individual — be it your assistant or a colleague or manager in your department – can field questions and issues effectively, and will reach out to you only in true emergencies or situations that truly require your attention.
5) Decide up front what issues you WILL deal with at work if they arise, and what you won’t.
Prioritize in your mind what constitutes a true emergency, or work issue that you wouldn’t want to miss out on, and what you DO want to leave behind. For example, once when I was on vacation in Cape Cod I received a request for an interview from the Wall Street Journal to comment about a hot news item about pregnant women’s rights in the workplace. You bet I took that call, and was happy to!
* * * * * *
I know that many will read this and say, “No way, Kathy. This can’t work for me. I’m too needed at work! They won’t leave me alone.”
To that, I say it’s up to you to build a strong and clear boundary around your private, personal time. If you fail to make it crystal clear what your requirements are for unplugging, then people can’t help but intrude on your private time, because you’ve communicated – either consciously or unconsciously – that it’s acceptable for them to do it.
Be bold, unplug, and enjoy your vacation!
What strategies have you used to successfully unplug, relax and restore on vacation? Please share!
(To build a happier, more rewarding career, visit kathycaprino.com and The Amazing Career Project.)
