Are you really on holiday or are you preoccupied with work?

Are you on holiday but you keep checking emails?

Holidays are a time to relax and recuperate from work. Holidays are a time to enjoy with family. Yet many of us find it difficult to relax while away from work and often people return from holidays as stressed and tired as before the holidays.

Families are left disappointed when fathers, partners and loved ones can’t relax and join in the family activities. Families are upset when a parent or partner is continually on their phone or checking emails. Families hate it when family engagements are interrupted by work, or their partner or father is always preoccupied with work.

Are you guilty of always being preoccupied with work, or can you close the door at the office and take a holiday with minimal thought of work? Will you return from your holiday well rested? Will you spend quality time with your family this holiday without work interruptions?

Leave work at the office

In this digital age we can be permanently connected to the office 24 hours, 7 days a week, and 52 weeks in the year. But we all deserve a rest. So how can you disconnect from the office?

• Disconnecting starts before your holiday. As much as you plan your holiday, also plan your disconnection from the office. Planning involves:

1. Completing the things that need to be done. You don’t want to spend the holidays worrying about loose ends which weren’t tidied up before you left. So ensure that bills are paid, money has been collected, security is in place, problems have been fixed, etc.
2. Leaving a message on your phone and email to say that you are out the office. Specify when you’ll be back. Leave contact details of the person who may be covering while you’re away. Check that the message is working.
3. Informing staff who will be left in the office what needs to be done in your absence and who will be covering for you. Leave a list of contact details for suppliers, contractors, clients, etc.
4. Letting clients know that you’re away. Provide your return date and if necessary contact details of the person who’ll be covering in your absence.
5. Considering if the company needs to work over holiday periods. Many businesses close over the festive season. Employees need a break. Sometimes leaving the business open over holiday periods is more trouble than it’s worth. Closing the company for the holidays will mean that you can relax more easily with less chance of interruptions or something going wrong. It means that all your employees can have a holiday to. Workers are often distracted over holiday periods. Many suppliers are closed. Productivity is reduced. Negotiate with clients where possible so you can close over holiday periods.

• If it’s essential to check phone messages and emails while you’re on holiday set aside a set time. Limit the time to say 15 minutes a day. Learn not to overrun the allotted time.
• Don’t reply to emails unless they’re absolutely urgent. Remember, if you set a message on your email that said you’re on holiday, then the sender would have got the message that you’re on holiday and won’t be expecting a reply until your return date.
• Only deal with very urgent problems when you’re away.
• You don’t have to answer every work call on holiday. If it’s urgent the person will leave a message, or they’ll call again.
• Don’t worry about work when you’re on holiday. Worry doesn’t solve problems it only creates stress.
• If a client or work colleague phones you while you’re on holiday, let them know right at the start of the conversation that you’re on holiday. Often if the call isn’t an urgent matter the person will apologise and say they’ll call back at a more convenient time. If they don’t get the message and want to continue the conversation even though the issue isn’t urgent, then make an excuse, say you’ve got an urgent appointment. Refer them to someone working in the office, or tell them you’ll call back at a more convenient time.
• Learn to slow down on holiday. Spend time with your family. Join family activities with your full heart and mind, without thinking about work. But also spend ‘me’ time – quiet time, maybe reading a good book. Even go for a massage – even if it’s not ‘your thing’.

Of course the ultimate getaway is to plan a holiday where there isn’t phone contact – somewhere in the wilderness.

But a holiday isn’t always a holiday if it’s going to be stressful. It’s important to plan holidays where you can relax. That doesn’t have to mean a beach holiday (which can be stressful for some), rather a holiday where you can escape the big crowds, a holiday doing what you like doing, a holiday where you’re don’t have to think, plan and organise every day.

It’s important to delegate

Learn to delegate. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Most of us think we’re indispensable to the company, but usually we aren’t. Surround yourself with trusted, responsible people. People who can take on some of your duties – especially the smaller stuff. Most employees want to be challenged, they want to learn new things, they want to take on more responsibility. Having trusted employees in place who can take on some of your responsibilities while you’re away will mean that you can safely go on holiday and know that everything is in safe hands.

Enjoy your holidays

It’s vital to have time off work, time to relax and time to spend with the family. None of us can work all the time. We all need a break from work. A good holiday will often clear your mind and you’ll return to work reinvigorated and ready to take on new challenges.

You’re on holiday, so ensure you really are on holiday. Don’t waste your holiday with work.

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Paul Netscher has written several easy to read books for owners, contractors, construction managers, construction supervisors and foremen. They cover all aspects of construction management and are filled with tips and insights.

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