The ultimate guide to leaving work behind when you go on holiday...
By Amanda Yik, Senior Programme Manager, Community Business
Do you bring the office with you on holidays? If you are nodding, you’re not alone. A survey carried out by MIS Asia found that 51% of Hong Kong people continue to work while they are on holiday. The Robert Half Workplace Survey revealed that 68% of bosses in Hong Kong expect their staff to be contactable while on holiday, well above the regional average of 40%.
Whilst completely unplugging from work seems like a dream, there are things you can do to help you leave work behind and make the most out of your time off. Moving into the end of September, a line up of public holidays is emerging from the horizon. If you are planning for a holiday, follow these steps to make it a (relatively) work-free one.
Before you go on leave
1. Block days off on your work calendar early, even if you have not confirmed the itinerary. This forces you and your team to plan your work around those dates early on, and think twice before planning a big product launch or important meetings around that time.
2. Designate the day before and after your leave as ‘no meeting days’ allow you some time to finish up important work before you go and catch up on emails once you’re back. This will reduce the anxiety of having last minute emergencies cropping up just before you go and make it easier to switch off.
3. Cut down on your emails or phone calls the days before your holiday. Not that you should slack off in the lead up to your leave but every communication you make will invite replies and they are likely come in while you are away.
4. Draw up a to-do list for when you are back will give you clarity around what your priorities are. Set up automatic reminders for the tasks that your colleagues are doing for you during your absence, then you don’t have to worry about checking deadlines and reminding them. This can be done quite easily on Outlook.
5. The importance of a proper handover is often under-estimated. Preparing a holiday note or holding a handover meeting to give an up-to-date status of the things you are working on may seem like a time-consuming task, but it serves at least three important purposes: a) it is an opportunity for you to reflect on the progress you have made and prioritise items on the to-do list; b) it minimises disturbances while you’re trying to unwind because your colleagues are less likely to have to call you for help; c) it keeps the wheels running so that client experience is not compromised.
6. Let important people know that you are on holiday.
7. Leave the gadgets behind. According to Community Business’ 2012 Work-Life Balance Survey, 43% of Hong Kong employees say that mobile technology is bad for work-life balance. If you are the kind of person who is obsessed with checking emails on Blackberries or smartphones, the best strategy is to leave them at home.
During your leave
8. Unplug completely, or at least try to unplug for most of it!
9. If a full-blown technology detox is really not possible, designate certain time(s) of the day to check in and stay away from your gadgets at other times. Find a time that works for you given the travel itinerary—for example, either first thing in the morning or right before dinner.
10. Say no to requests to get some work done while you’re away, even if you have free time on your hands. Resist it as much as possible, remember, you deserve a good break...
11. …but do jot down notes if inspiration or ideas related to work creep up on you. Often when we give ourselves the mind space to wander and take in new experiences, light bulb moments occur. Take note of these as quickly as possible so that you can revisit them while you’re back at work.
12.Trust your colleagues to do a great job looking after your work and stepping in for you when necessary.
13.Remember your ‘obligation’ is to make the most of your time away, have lots of fun, relax and recharge, so that you return to work refreshed and energised.
Returning from holiday
14. Be sure to thank your team for taking care of things while you’re off. When it’s their turn to go on leave, support them in the same way you would want to be supported.
15. Take out the to-do list you have prepared before you left and find a quiet space to review and plan out the days ahead. Use this meeting-free day to take the time to settle back in the fast-moving work environment. If you are a boss, set a good example. If you manage a team of people, make a point about setting a good example and show your team what it means to have a real holiday. If your team knows you’re firing off emails from the beach, they will feel that they need to do the same when it’s their turn.
Discipline is everything
If you think these steps are unrealistic, think about what it really takes for you to have a real break. After all it is your holiday and no one but yourself is responsible for making it work. Think ahead, set your boundaries, communicate and let go. Happy holidays!
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
