It’s been a while because we talked about actually taking vacations, but with Memorial Day practically upon us (yay!) and lots of people gearing up for big summer vacations, let’s discuss. Readers, what do you do at work to prep for your vacation? Do you think there are different things to do to prep for your getaway if you’re fully in-office, hybrid, or remote?
(Another question: are there any positions or workplace dynamics where you really just feel comfortable checking out completely for a week or much more without significant prep — and what do you think those are? much more senior, much more junior, not customer-service oriented, etc…)
{related: we asked the readers: how numerous paid getaway days do you get every year?}
Things to Do at work to Prep For Your Vacation
Some suggestions:
Plan, plan, plan. know what’s due before you leave, when you’re gone, and when you return. Prioritize things based on the schedule, but also based on how much work you can get done, if needed, while on the plane or (heaven forbid) the getaway itself. For example: that fact-based project with a zillion binders, moving pieces, or numerous people involved in the decision chain? get that one done at the office. That short article you’re writing — for which the research is done but the short article is heavily in need of editing? — that’s a terrific project for the plane, if it concerns that.
Let other people know that your planned getaway time is coming soon. This depends a lot on the dynamics of the office — I’ve done everything from emailing my superiors (and subordinates) to let them know it was coming up a week or two ahead of time, to leaving a travel guidebook on my office desk (as a silent reminder).
Leave your office well-prepared. If you’re working on three or four different projects, leave a pile for each on your desk so that if a question comes up in your absence, your coworkers have at least a combating chance of finding the answer themselves. Also, I’ve always left a printed sheet with my itinerary, my hotel information, my cell number (and my traveling companions’ numbers), and anything else pertinent. You may want to even “schedule” a time each getaway day to answer emails and voicemails, so other people know when they can expect a response. (Obviously this depends on your seniority and on how numerous fires are going on at the office when you leave.)
{related: what to know about taking getaways alone}
Some much more ideas from the commenters on previous discussions about this:
My coworkers and I try to make each others’ getaways a little simpler by divvying up each other’s work while we’re out. So, if I were going on getaway next week, I would meet with my two coworkers and split my ongoing projects between them. for each project, they get the most recent drafts (or instructions if there is no draft), the client contacts, and I tell the client to contact Coworker Jane with any questions or issues about their matter while I’m gone. When Coworker Jane takes her vacation, I reciprocate. Coworker Jane and I trade cell phone numbers for emergencies, but we rarely use them. This works so well for us that we can typically take an entire week-long getaway w/o a single call from the office. If you can work out this kind of shared-work arrangement with your colleagues, it’s a terrific way to make sure you don’t have to kill yourself trying to clear the desk entirely but can still really unplug when you take your vacation.
I build an extra day when I return. We fly back in on Saturday so we can adjust to jet lag and do laundry, catch up on email, triage the inbox. If things got so bad on getting things in purchase before I left, I would consider building an extra day on the start of vacation, plan to take Friday off to adjust people to my time off. finish things up at home to help transition out. but really, something always happens. people can survive without you. They don’t want to, but they can.
I typically try to draft a quick note on each case/issue that might possibly come up and email them to anybody who might get involved. For example “The Smith case involves (subject), and nothing’s due until X, but client may call about Y.” just so they’re not entirely lost if something does come up.
{related: do you repeat vacations, or try new getaway destinations?}
One lawyer had some terrific tips:
I’m a lawyer, so different but still similar issues with getaway – unpredictable deadlines, focus on client service, demanding bosses and colleagues.
I leave a comprehensive list of every matter that I’m working on if I’ll be out of the office for a week or more. I give it to my assistant, and it includes a short description of the matter, the status (i.e., letters have been sent, waiting for response), the external contacts who may call about the matter, and the internal contact person who can deal with it while I’m away. I find it to be a valuable way of making sure I’m not missing anything, and valuable when I return so I can just pick up where I left off. My assistant likes it because she has something to say when a client calls (“Mrs. Emcsquared is out of town, but Mrs. Jones is aware of this matter – may I forward the call to her?”)
And I like to set aside a half hour each getaway day to clear out my e-mail. I don’t typically respond outside the firm; I just forward to my internal contact and let them respond. I hate coming back to a full e-mail box. Finally, try not to send any e-mail for 3-5 company hours before you leave town (meaning, if you leave at 6 am, don’t send e-mail after 3 pm the day before). The much more e-mail you send, the much more you get back…and if you do have to send an e-mail in that window, make sure it’s a complete and organized description of your conclusions and proposals, not just a “let’s talk about this” e-mail.
And while you’re on getaway – put your phone in the safe and turn off the ringer. Or switch off the e-mail synch function, or disable the e-mail notifications. I did this unintentionally once, and have done it intentionally ever since. really worthwhile.
Readers, what things do you do at work to prep for your vacation?
Psst: here are Corporette readers’ company travel must-haves:
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