Balancing Work and Time Off While on Vacation
When you are running a business or have a lot of work responsibility, the idea of taking any time off to enjoy a vacation might not be on your radar. Instead of thinking of the positive benefits of getting away, you may be overwhelmed as you consider what would happen with your workload if you weren’t in the office every day. That’s why many people end up loading up their laptop with plans to work from their vacation destination. This NYC Professional Office Organizer suggests you unplug so you can re-charge and is sharing these tips for getting some work done while on vacation – leaving plenty of time to enjoy your trip.
Schedule specific work time. If you aren’t scheduling time to dedicate towards work, you’ll find it eating up other parts of your day. Schedule a small block of time for working each day and stick to it. Schedule this time during an expected slow time like when everyone is getting ready for breakfast or dinner. Don’t schedule activities during those blocks, so you aren’t worried about missing out on special time with your children or partner. Before leaving the office, inform your team of this schedule, so they know when to expect to hear from you. This will make it
easier for them to stay in touch in case an urgent issue arises.
Set technology boundaries. It can be so easy to peruse social media or start reading through emails when you find yourself with some downtime. Set some boundaries. When you are done working for the day, put your laptop away. Ideally, put it back into your suitcase or bag, and only pull it out during your dedicated work time blocks. Turn off notifications on your phone or tablet, so you aren’t alerted every time an email comes in. Set calls to go to voicemail.
Don’t overcommit. Though you plan to work for a few hours during your vacation, it’s not the time to take on a new large project that will require lots of research and manpower. Save those types of projects for when you get back to the office. Instead, focus on the smaller, everyday tasks during your vacation. Delegate bigger tasks to co-workers so you can use your work time to check in as needed and follow up on emails.
Be prepared for problems. Depending on where you are vacationing, there may be issues with being able to work. If you are traveling to a foreign country, remember to pack adapters for your plugs, and appropriate extension cords. If you are traveling somewhere more remote, you may want to check on what the internet connection is like before you leave the office. This way you can pack the appropriate equipment to ensure that you don’t stress over being able to communicate when needed.
Though these time management tips will help you to keep work and relaxation separate during your next vacation, it’s still ideal to really allow yourself some time away. We all need time away from our daily routines that we can spend with friends and family. Take that time, and don’t feel bad about it! When you head back to the office, and are ready for some more hands-on organizing strategies, reach out to this NYC Professional Office Organizer.