The ultimate guide to leaving work behind when you go on holiday

Do you bring the office with you on holidays? If you are nodding, you’re not alone.

Survey shows that 51% of Hong Kong people continue to work while they are on holiday . Another survey shows 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.

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.

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. If you often have back-to-back meetings during work days, this will at least go some way to build in down time.

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 if you cut out non-time sensitive communications, you may find yourself getting less emails or voicemails accumulated over your holiday.

4. Draw up a to-do list for when you are back will give you clarity around what your priorities are. If possible, draw this list up at least a few days before you go away to give you time to work on or delegate the time-sensitive tasks in time for your absence.

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) prioritises items on the to-do list;

b) minimises disturbances 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. They may be your clients, partners, vendors who work with you closely. Is there a colleague stepping in for you?

Make an introduction. Are they going to have to wait for you to come back? Explain why.

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 handhelds, 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! Every minute you spend checking in is a minute lost from your holiday!

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. But do jot down notes if inspirations or ideas related to work creep up on you so that you can revisit them while you’re back at work. The key is to avoid dwelling on work-related thoughts and come back to the present moment, i.e. your holiday.

11. Trust your colleagues to do a great job looking after your work and stepping in for you when necessary. Don’t waste brainwave second-guessing what they are doing.

12. Remember your “obligation” is to make the most of your time away. The last thing your team wants to see is you returning to work as if you have never left!

Returning from holiday

13. 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.

14. 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. Make an effort to prepare your team for your absence and set them up for a smooth run without you.

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. Happy holidays!

https://www.regus.presscentre.com/Press-Releases/The-high-price-of-dedication-46a1.aspx

https://hongkongbusiness.hk/hr-education/news/68-hong-kong-employers-expect-their-staff-be-available-while-annual-leave

https://www.communitybusiness.org/images/cb/publications/2012/WLB_report_infographic_2012_EN.pdf