School’s out and it’s the summer holidays. Some are setting up the out-of-office message for a week or two as we speak. But how about those that struggle to disconnect from the workplace? It can be tricky – some will be checking emails here and there if it’s impossible to disconnect 100pc, but these tips might help to make the most of a well-earned break: –
- Do as much as you can before setting off, as it will ease the stress before leaving. If for some reason you can’t finish all your tasks, get a colleague to help. You can always return the favour.
- Get your out of office message right. Here’s an overview of what to include:
– Exact dates
– The general reason for your absence — no great details required but it can help to say if you are on holiday as otherwise, colleagues might still attempt to get in touch with you if they think you’re just out of the office for work matters.
– The people who can help while you’re out of the office — e.g. names, email addresses and area of expertise of colleagues who will be covering for you while you are taking time off.
- Decide what level of technology detox you want. Having a clear idea of how much you want to disconnect from the tech helps. Here are a few ideas:
– Talk to your travel companions about their expectations and yours – agree the parameters beforehand
– Switch off notifications on your phone, mute chats and set your email to refresh manually or better still, take the account off your phone
– Get a cheap ‘basic phone’ just for your holiday – you’re still accessible for emergencies but you don’t run the risk of losing your main one and there’s no temptation to browse
– Use proper maps instead of your phone to get around so you can leave your phone at your accommodation
- Get back to a routine before the first day back at work – it can help to soften the blow of returning to work.
- If you really struggle to stop thinking about work, maybe consider more frequent shorter breaks rather then longer ones.
Whilst we might not get it perfect, it’s really important to make the most of your break. Aim high with your disconnect from the tech!