How to Fully Switch Off From Work When on Holiday

You’re excited about your upcoming holiday… but you are also panicking because there is just so much to do at work before you take off! “How will I ever get it all done? What will happen if something goes wrong while I am away or if I need to work on something really last minute or important when all I really want to do is sip mocktails by the pool?”

These are all very valid questions many of us have asked before we set that Out Of Office notification. But hey, breathe… and repeat after us: You deserve that break! Especially if you have been working hard lately. It's great to be passionate about your job but learning to switch off is also crucial. Taking time off is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for you to recharge and come back to work with more energy and ambition to do even better. After all, it’s proven that people who know how to fully switch off on holiday will come back de-stressed, revitalised, and ready to hit the ground running.

So before you think of checking your email during your much-needed holiday, here are four tips on how to fully switch off and be on holiday mode.

#1 Make a solid handover list
Nobody wants to be called during a holiday to be asked where this file is or what the latest update is for a certain project. Enter the handover list: List down everything you’re currently working on, the latest update for each one, and what you anticipate might happen when you are away. Make sure to write down what’s important for each project and what needs to be done as well as who can be in charge of it. This handover list works as a summary for your colleagues when you are away. This way, nobody is left in the dark about what’s going on with your project and don’t have to send you that WhatsApp message when you’re eating your heart out in Bangkok.

It's also important to run through your handover list with your boss so that he is aware of what’s going on and knows who to turn to if he needs additional info. Ultimately, the handover list works to tie up loose ends when you are away … and when you return from your trip, you can jump right in.

#2 Turn on your out of office notification
You need to let people know you’ll be away – colleagues and clients are more likely to respect the fact that you’re on a break when you announce it to them. It helps to set expectations and lets people know that you won’t be available to take calls or respond to emails unless it is absolutely (and we repeat, absolutely!) important that they get in touch with you. If you’re working on a really important project, why not get in touch with your client to let her know of your holiday plans and work to complete whatever is outstanding before you go away so you can enjoy your holiday?

Also, in your out of office notification, be sure to include the person who will reply on your behalf while you are away so your clients won’t think you’re ignoring their emails. You can also ask a colleague to spend five minutes a day checking your email to flag any important messages for when you’re back.

#3 Turn your device notifications off!
OK we get that you can’t turn it off the entire day so maybe designate the time to switch off during your time away. You can turn your emails and message notifications on during the morning at breakfast or an hour before dinner to quickly check if you have anything important you need to look through but for the bulk of your holiday, learn how to switch off and not be bothered by the fact that you are not getting instant notifications that require your attention, pronto! This way, you’re still somewhat in tune with what’s happening at work but mostly enjoying your break the rest of your day!

#4 Enjoy yourself!
Stop feeling guilty and enjoy your holiday! Remember why you booked a holiday in the first place – to have some much-needed tie off. Time will fly by, and you will be back in the office before you know. If you didn’t switch off from work during your holiday, you’ll definitely regret it and it would have felt like you never went away at all! Make the most of your holiday – to be honest, a lot of times, work can wait, especially if you’re away just for a short while. Make the most of your well-earned time off!

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.