Q: My vacation is coming up and work seems to be getting busier and busier. With all the work piling up, I’m afraid I’ll be even more stressed when I return from vacation. Any tips to avoid some of this stress?
A:
- Make careful preparations before you leave for vacation
- Prioritize your workload
- What absolutely has to be done before you leave?
- What can wait for your return?
- Schedule less the day before you leave and the day after you return
- Don’t schedule extremely important tasks immediately upon your return
- Customize auto-reply e-mails and outgoing voice mails with details:
- Dates you will be gone
- Who to contact in your absence
- What to do in case of emergencies
- Inform colleagues well in advance
- If it helps you stay less stressed, spend a few minutes a day checking e-mails and/or checking-in while you are away
