How to Get Vacation Ready
What to think about before you go on vacation
When Lindsay Gordon-Faranda came back from a recent vacation with family to the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, one item on her schedule was a retreat with co-workers from the Office of Duke Health Development and Alumni Affairs.
At the event, they listened to a speaker who discussed the warning signs of burnout.
“I’m not feeling any of these,” Gordon-Faranda said she recalled thinking. “That was because I took some time for some self-care and recharged my brain.”
A big reason she returned from vacation relaxed was because she took the right steps before she left. She completed pressing tasks, alerted colleagues to her plans and knew what faced her when she got back.
“I try to always get to a good stopping point before I leave,” said Gordon-Faranda, senior public relations specialist for Duke Children’s development.
Whether you’re getting ready to enjoy time away from the office this summer or later this year, here are some tips for making it as seamless as possible.
Start preparing early
For many, the days before going on vacation can be a stressful frenzy of last-minute work. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Joy Birmingham, assistant director of Leadership and Professional Development for Duke Learning and Organization Development, recommends getting an early start on tasks that need to be completed before you go away.
“About two or three weeks ahead of going on vacation, you need to take a serious look at what is on your to-do list,” Birmingham said.
Birmingham suggests making a list of a few tasks or projects that need to be wrapped up before you leave and then, in the weeks leading up to your vacation, devoting a set amount of time each day to work on them.
Keep co-workers in the loop
In a perfect world, everything at work would stand still while you’re gone. Since that’s rarely the case, it’s important to keep colleagues and supervisors informed about when you’ll return and, if possible, who they can contact for help while you’re away.
If you know that certain problematic situations may arise while you’re away, discuss them with colleagues and develop contingency plans.
“The main thing I try to do is communicate with everybody that I’m not going to be here,” Gordon-Faranda said. “I might tell people a month ahead of time so that we can avoid any conflicts.”
Plan your return
One of the last things Gordon-Faranda did before leaving for vacation was to sketch out a to-do list for when she came back. Birmingham said taking time to think about what will greet you upon your return is crucial to making your eventual re-entry as easy as possible.
“You don’t want to come back on Monday and try to figure out what you need to do,” Birmingham said. “You’re going to be overwhelmed.”
Birmingham suggests keeping your schedule as light as possible for the first day back because you’ll need to get mentally settled and likely have plenty of unforeseen tasks ready to grab your attention.
She also recommends being kind to yourself. Don’t give yourself too much to do right away.
“If there’s something you enjoy doing and you don’t have to do it before you go on vacation, save it for when you get back,” Birmingham said. “You don’t want to go from having all fun to having no fun.”
Don’t feel guilty
“There’s a reason why your total compensation package includes vacation days. It’s part of what your employer expects.”
-- Nichole Capitanio
While the period leading up to your vacation can be hectic and co-workers might have additional responsibilities while you’re away, it’s important to keep in mind that using time off is not just part of Duke’s benefits package for employees, but can also be a major step toward wellness.
Nichole Capitanio, director of Duke Personal Assistant Service, said suggests that colleagues should not feel guilty or ashamed about taking vacation. In fact, she added, talking about an upcoming trip has positive effects on vacationers before they take time off.
“It’s good for your work and for your ability to be productive when you take time away,” Capitanio said. “There’s a reason why your total compensation package includes vacation days. It’s part of what your employer expects.”