Pre-Vacation Work Preparation

T-minus 8 days, until this Senior Social Media Account Executive hits the Colorado slopes. I’ll be trading in my iPhone for a pair of skis when I head to the winter wonderland of Colorado for a four-day getaway next week. When you work in an industry that never sleeps, sometimes it can be hard to get away and unplug for a few days. Y’all know by now that I am rarely without a to-do list in hand, so it should come as no surprise that I have a checklist that helps me prepare for being out of the office.

Here are my tips for how to prep before you hit the road and turn on your out-of-office.

First, make a list of your daily action items for the days you’ll be away from your desk.

Then determine who your point of contact will be for any incoming emails or tasks that need to be completed while you are out. Usually a fellow team member or manager can be there to field emails and put out any fires that may come up. By determining who this person is ahead of time, everyone knows his or her role while you are unavailable.

Third, work ahead and get as much done before you leave as you can. If you have things that need to be executed while you’re away, make sure you prepare directions for the person who will be executing said line items. Set aside 15 – 30 minutes to go through any projects before you leave so you can fully explain where everything stands. This also gives whoever is helping you a time to ask questions, so they are prepared to pick up right where you left off.

Finally, before you schedule your out-of-office auto response, let your clients, co-workers and any external partners you’re working with know the dates you will be unavailable and give them contact information for a point person, should they need anything while you’re gone.

Once you’ve checked all those boxes, you’ve set yourself up for an easy vacation free from work-woes.

Written By Ashley Tucker

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