6 Ways to Positively Wrap Up for Summer & Plan Your Stress-Free Return

Do you ever get the feeling that June is somehow similar to December? ??

Instead of searching for Christmas gifts, sipping hot wine, and attempting to wrap everything up before the Christmas break, your schedule in June is packed with social events as you try to make the most of summer with friends, participate in numerous school activities ??, and organize final meetings, workshops, and gatherings before everyone is gone for the summer.

Do not take me wrong, it’s all quite positive, but I’ll be honest with you, as a working parent, June is extremely intense... Do you maybe relate?

?I suggest that all schools schedule parent-teacher meetings and school activities for a month other than June. ??

Joke apart, let’s deep dive!

As I wrap up this busy month and prepare for my long summer break, I want to share some tips with you on how to leave for your holidays (hopefully) peacefully and plan your return well to avoid stress and anxiety during your break.

?? Take the time for a Half Year Review

As we approach the holiday season - it's essential to take a moment to reflect on the past few months. What did you enjoy the most at work in the first part of the year?

This reflection is crucial for personal growth and ensuring a successful second half of the year. Consider the following questions for self-reflection or even team reflection:

?? What brought you the most enjoyment at work?

?? What accomplishments made you proud?

?? Which colleagues did you enjoy working with the most?

?? What were your significant and minor successes?

?? How did you generally feel while at work?

?? What did you/could you do to take care of your well-being?

?? What would you adapt/change/improve for the second part of the year?

Reflect on these questions and evaluate what you can adapt and continue doing after the summer break to maintain this positive trajectory and areas for improvement.

??It’s also a great way to set goals for what you wish to achieve when you return. ?Realign your goals for the rest of the year. This can provide a clear direction and renewed focus, helping you dive back into work with a sense of purpose.

?? Create a HAPPY Folder

One of my clients shared a great idea with me.

He created a "Happy Folder" where he keeps all the nice messages from his clients, positive feedback from his colleagues and manager, as well as his small and big achievements. He looks at his "Happy Folder" especially when he's feeling unmotivated or under stress.

It serves as a reminder and gives him a boost of energy to reflect on his wins.

It's such a wonderful idea and it encourages us to celebrate and keep a record of our positive impact at work. I encourage you to create your own Happy Folder.

Include feedback, small wins, big achievements, and happy pictures.

?? Priorities & Delegate Tasks

Start by identifying critical tasks that must be completed before your departure. Prioritize these based on urgency and importance. For tasks that can wait, consider delegating them to colleagues, freelancers or scheduling them for after your return.

Clear communication about the status and expectations for each task will help keep projects moving smoothly in your absence.

?? Set Boundaries and Learn to Let Go

Clearly communicate your availability during your vacation. If you plan to check emails sporadically, specify this in your message to manage expectations. Same, if you are planning NOT to check your emails AT ALL (highly recommended if you can). Make it clear and suggest other options.

Many people still expect us to take a quick look at our emails during our holidays. To avoid it, I've seen companies implement a clear rule that “prohibits” checking emails during holidays as a way to relieve any guilt some of us might feel and allow employees to fully disconnect.

Set clear boundaries for yourself. Consider uninstalling your work email from your phone or disabling certain apps to better disconnect.

??Being able to let go during the holidays is powerful for our return.

??Craft a Funny Out of Office Message

Out-of-office messages can be boring. Injecting humour into your automated replies can bring a smile to your colleagues' faces and showcase your fun-loving personality.

Here are 5 steps I shared in a previous article:

?? 1. Start with a Captivating Greeting

?? 2. Add a Touch of Self-Deprecating Humor

?? 3. Inject Humor into Your Return Date

?? 4. Include a Fun Fact or Travel-Inspired Joke

?? 5. Offer Alternative Sources of Help

I still need to write mine but it might include this sentence:

"I’m off searching for peace at the beach... "????

Have a look at my previous article for more information and some examples.

???

?? Plan your Coming Back

I personally love to clean my desk before I leave. It makes the return much more enjoyable. I also make some order in my inbox, on my desk, and in my files. I don’t always have the time, especially this year, but I ensure I’ll do at least the minimum.

Try to plan your first week back at work. You might want to have your first Monday morning free and not full of meetings so you have time to catch up with everything.

Use the Time Boxing Methodology to plan your week. - Read more here

Try to think about your top priorities for the first week and allocate time in your agenda for them. You will avoid last minute stress to plan meetings and time for your to-do.

I wish you all a wonderful summer! Hopefully, you will have the chance to enjoy some sunny days, relax and take a break!

Stay happy

Aurelie

?? LET'S STAY IN TOUCH

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