Preparing for a Vacation from Work
Many workers are planning a vacation to travel or get away from work this summer. According to a recent online poll conducted by Express Employment Professionals, 77% of over 1,100 respondents answered that they were planning time off from work this summer.
If you’ve ever taken a vacation, you’ve probably had a plan for traveling, a list of what to pack, and an agenda for activities to do. But did you ever consider spending some time preparing your work for the time you’ll be away? Today, most everyone has more work to do with less time and fewer resources, making it even more critical to plan ahead to make sure your productivity doesn’t stop or slow down while you’re away on vacation.
Before you take time away from the office, here are five steps you can use to prepare at work so you can fully relax while you’re away from the office – and be well rested when you return.
Step 1 – Request Time Off Early. When you begin making plans for your vacation, make sure to request time off from your supervisor. It’s best to make your request as early as possible so you and your supervisor have ample time to plan your tasks and projects around your time away from work. Your supervisor may also have to plan for someone to cover your shifts, so try to give them a little more than just your workplace’s standard notice for time off requests.
Step 2 – Work Ahead. When you know your vacation time is approaching, begin to work ahead when you can. While you might not be able to anticipate every assignment that comes your way, work on those that you can. This will ease the load your time off may create for your co-workers and keep you from returning to an overwhelming mountain of work.
Step 3 – Enlist Help. Ask your co-workers for help if you’re struggling to complete all of your projects before you leave. If you know of specific things that will need to be done while you’re away, ask your supervisor who can help in your absence. Co-workers can help you stay on track and make sure things run smoothly while you’re gone. Just make sure not to pile all your work on them at the last minute because you didn’t plan ahead.
Step 4 – Empower Others. If you’re in a specialized position with knowledge your co-workers don’t share, empower them to assist clients and customers while you’re away by sharing with them the information you know or leaving them detailed instructions. Even if your co-workers don’t know the answer to all potential questions, make sure they know where they can find the answer so your co-workers don’t have to disturb you while you’re on vacation.
Step 5 – Be Accessible for Emergencies Only. Making yourself available for every little question won’t allow you to fully rest or relax on your vacation. So, depending on your position, ask your supervisor and co-workers not to contact you while you’re on vacation. If you’re unable to completely disconnect, request that they contact you in emergency situations only. Make sure your supervisor clarifies what constitutes an emergency and shares that definition with your co-workers.
Taking a vacation should be relaxing, rewarding, and rejuvenating. But, if you leave a pile of work undone at the office and worry that it awaits your return, you won’t be doing yourself any favors. So, make sure to plan ahead – at home and at work – before you leave the office to fully reap the benefits of a much-needed break.
Tweet
Leave a Reply