How to Prepare at the Office Before Going on Holiday

Taking Time Off From the Office

Everyone loves a holiday. But when we live in a world that is so connected, it can sometimes be challenging to switch off or to prevent being interrupted while you are away.

Many people never actually leave work. They take a laptop away with them and still answer emails while they are on holiday. And, if we don’t do that, many of us still have our phones with us.

It makes you wonder if there is anything such as a holiday anymore.

Tips for Getting Away From the Office While On Holiday

Here are some top tips to help you get away from the office while on holiday.

• Start to prepare early. Don’t leave it until the last minute. Start your preparation at least two weeks before your holiday. Think about the important tasks you must complete before you go and only focus on these. If it isn’t important, try not to worry about them. Communicate with people expecting those things and let them know the situation.
• Prepare with your team and delegate. If you lead a team, ensure everyone knows their responsibilities when you are away. Make sure you have effectively delegated tasks to team members well in advance. If you are a team member, work with your boss to agree on who will cover your tasks while you are away. Again, do this in advance, not just the day before you go.
• Make a plan for when you get back. You know it’s going to be busy when you get back. Note where you are up to with things and list the things that will need your immediate attention when you get back. You’re going to have the holiday blues on your first few days back, and it always takes a while to get back into the swing of things, so advance preparation is an essential thing to do before you go.
• Try not to take on anything new. Easier said than done, but try not to add anything new to your list of things to do before you go. Let the person requesting the task know that you are on holiday soon and you may not be able to complete what they are asking before you leave.
• Put your out-of-office notification on. Don’t be scared to use this. It’s an excellent tool for setting expectations for people who have tried to email you. They will contact you when you return if they know you are not there. Leave an alternative email address or phone number (not yours) of someone they can contact if their question or query is urgent.
• Change your voicemail. Set a voicemail saying you are away from the office and when you will return. Leave an alternative number for them to call (not yours) if their query is urgent. You could set expectations with your team that if they MUST contact you, they should only do this one way, i.e. by text or WhatsApp, and you will reply when you can.
• Email the important people just before you go. Let people know that you will be out of the office. Letting customers know you will be away isn’t a bad idea.
• Back up everything. If you take a laptop away, ensure you have backed up everything before you go. Just in case your laptop gets lost or damaged while you are away.
• Pick and choose what you respond to. If you decide to look at email etc., when you are away, only answer those super urgent things. Let your out-of-office deal with the rest and pick those up when you return.
• Enjoy your holiday. Take some time for yourself. You’ve earned it. You’ve paid for it. You’re entitled to it. Don’t let work spoil it.

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