5/25/2017
Leaving work for a week of fun in the sun can be daunting. As we discussed a couple weeks ago, studies show that when employees take time off for some rest and relaxation, the whole office reaps the benefits. So why do so many workers leave unused vacation days to pile up? Reports show that almost 40% of workers don’t take vacation days because they are afraid of returning to a mountain of work. Nearly 35% claim that no one else can do their job as the reason for not taking their deserved time off. We, at Vacation Pool Homes, understand that when you have a lot of responsibility at work, taking time off might seem unfeasible. But adequately preparing for your trip is paramount to a successful and relaxing vacation. Here are five things you can do before you leave to ensure a smooth transition and truly enjoy your time off:
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Warn The Office: Let the office know that you’ll be gone. This sounds obvious, but many employees only tell the people who “need to know,” such as the HR representative who monitors paid time off and their direct manager. Be sure to tell anyone who you have daily interactions with, coworkers who might need your help while you’re gone, and anyone you might be working on projects with. Giving an advance warning, even in the form of a mass email, will get you started on the right foot.
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Plan Ahead: This might mean staying late at work a few nights. Trust us, it will be worth it when you don’t have to do those projects on your vacation. Separate projects into two categories – what is due before or during your vacation, and what is due after. If there is a project deadline during the week or two you’ll be gone, try and finish it before you leave so you don’t have to work on your time off. Prioritize any work that needs to be done sooner, and don’t worry right now about what you’ll have to do when you get back. If you start this process early enough, then hopefully you won’t come back to any unfinished projects.
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Delegate Any Leftover Work: If there is anything that can’t be done before or after your trip, ask a coworker to cover your work – and be sure to offer to return the favor. Leave detailed instructions on what needs to be done and when, and any tips or advice that might be helpful for them.
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Let Coworkers Know If You’ll Be Available: We understand that not all jobs are created equal. If you happen to be the only person who can handle a certain aspect of your job, set a time each day for the office to contact you – and stick to it. You and your family will have a much more enjoyable vacation if you aren’t constantly picking up your phone or sending emails. Perhaps you want to be available for an hour first thing in the morning before your day gets started, or maybe you’ve allotted some rest time before dinner. Let the office know that if they need you for anything, they can contact you between, say, 8:00 and 9:00am. Remember, this is your time off. Change your voicemail or autoreply email to let clients and coworkers know when they can expect to hear back from you, whether it be during a set time each day, or simple when you return.
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Trust Your Co-workers: As we mentioned above, many people don’t take vacation days because they feel they are the only ones who can do their job. If you look deep, deep inside, you’ll probably realize that this is not the case. We know leaving your job to someone else can feel overwhelming, but your co-workers are more qualified than you might give them credit for. They can probably figure out how to handle whatever comes up. Remember, when your colleagues leave on vacation, they are probably feeling the same way – and the office hasn’t fallen apart when anyone else gone, has it?
If there is an emergency at the office, our Vacation Pool Homes have access to wifi to make communication with work easier, and we have staff available 24/7 in case there is anything we can assist you with. And with most of our properties having access to a private pool, we are sure you family won’t mind having to stay at the rental for a bit while you take care of business.
