The Best Tool to Boost Your Productivity…A Vacation!
Summer is just around the corner!
Okay, I’m admittedly typing this while bundled in a blanket, heat blasting on high, and snow still visible on the ground just outside my window. A girl can dream…
So, at least spring break is just around the corner!
Either way, vacation season is looming.
Vacation. Awww…sweet visions of beautiful beaches, lapping waves, lazy mornings sipping coffee, lingering lunches enjoying the local cuisine, and late-night laughter filling up the cool breeze.
But wait…surely life back at the office is crumbling.
Should I check my email?
What’s on fire?
I can probably just skip the snorkeling adventure to spend a little time working on that client proposal.
And just think of the mound of work waiting for me when I get back…
That’s it. All vacations are canceled. This sounds less relaxing than just carrying on with a normal 9 to 5 grind.
It’s time to break free of vacation dread and anxiety and unnecessary drama. We owe it to ourselves to actually enjoy these sweet breaks and opportunities to recharge.
It is possible, my friends.
Why Vacations?
First, why do you need a vacation? Why does it really matter to prioritize this piece of your life?
If you are anything like I used to be, you would let that PTO just pile up. Maybe there will be a future workload where a week off is doable. But not now. Definitely not now.
On the surface, this may seem like a logical path to grind and grind to reach that ideal destination of finally having everything checked off that to-do list. But all work and no play means you’re eventually getting less efficient, less focused, resentful, exhausted…etc.
That is not the recipe for productivity.
What if taking a break could actually make you more productive and able to get more done?
Consider these benefits of taking a vacation. (And, I mean truly taking a vacation. NOT just working in a different city or country and calling it “vacation”. Yeah, you, I’m talking to you.)
Reducing stress: Vacations allow you to check out from work and give your brain a break from the stressors of the day-to-day.
Improving productivity: By giving your brain a chance to rest and recharge, you may find that you are more focused and productive and able to think more strategically when you do return to work.
Boost creativity: Exposing yourself to new environments and experiences can spark creativity and innovative thinking. It can give you the time and space to reflect on ideas and come up with fresh perspectives for that big problem you’ve been trying to tackle.
Overall, taking vacations is important for personal and professional growth. It allows you to step back from your daily routine and responsibilities, and engage in activities that can help you feel more relaxed, refreshed, and fulfilled.
Convinced? Good. Keep reading.
Mindset
Now, I am going to give you some practical tools and tips to make planning for and returning from vacation more manageable. But we have to start with your mindset.
Even if you have the perfect plan without a piece slipping out of place, if you are still convinced that checking out is a “bad” thing then you’ll be riddled with guilt if you aren’t tethered to your digital handcuffs. You might as well stay home and cancel the vacation. You aren’t going to enjoy it or get the benefits of taking a break anyway.
So we have to get your mindset right.
The following emotions are likely going to come up. Guilt. Overwhelm. We know them. We’ve experienced them. We can expect them to come up.
Let’s commit to feeling them. Then really explore the thoughts you are choosing to believe about vacations that are causing these emotions. Is it possible these thoughts are wrong? Are there new thoughts you can access instead?
Vacation Guilt
“I’m going to leave my coworkers in a bind.”
“Things can’t run smoothly without me.”
“I’m being selfish for taking this time.”
What other nonsense are you choosing to think?
Consider these new thoughts you could choose to believe instead about this time away:
“This break will be good for me and allow me to show up more focused than ever.”
“It is just as important to prioritize my own well-being as anything else.”
“I am responsible and will leave my projects in a good place.”
When you find yourself slipping into guilt over an upcoming vacation or maybe smack dab in the middle of a vacation, try altering your thinking to help yourself believe this vacation is actually a good and beneficial escape.
Vacation Overwhelm
“There’s no way I can get everything done before I leave.”
“I’ll have too much on my plate when I get back.”
“I won’t be able to relax with so much looming over my head.”
Any other drama your brain is creating for you?
Consider these new thoughts you could choose to believe instead about this time away:
“I can and will get this all done.”
“I know how to make a plan and execute on it.”
“I don’t have to overwork myself to deserve a break.”
Some simple mindset changes can help you shift your belief about vacations so you can start to view them as an integral piece of being your most productive self.
Now, how do you do all this planning to reduce the load of preparing for and returning from your next fabulous adventure? Let’s go!
Planning
Pre-vacation
Feeling prepared for your next vacation can help you to truly check out since everything will be set up to run smoothly without you.
These are the steps to make it happen:
Write down all the things that “must” get done before you ditch your slacks for sun dresses. Then edit. Remove any “shoulds” from this list. Focus on the deadlines you’ve already committed to and what will still be realistic to complete leading up to the vacation. Now you know exactly what you’ll need to plan for.
Schedule your calendar for the week before you leave. Fit in everything that was on the must-do list you created above. Edit again. If something’s not fitting into your schedule, reprioritize. Reach out to colleagues to confirm deadline priorities. Or delegate tasks to coworkers who can cover while you’re out.
Communicate and set expectations. Let people know your vacation plans so they can get what they need from you before you leave. And you can set boundaries that you’ll be unavailable while you’re out.
Schedule your calendar for the week you return. If you want to avoid the Sunday Scaries dreading the first day back in the office, make sure you know exactly what you’ll be doing when you’re back. Include time to process your inboxes first thing so you’re all caught up. Schedule in time for the projects you know will be a priority. And, most importantly, include lots of flex time to fill in unknowns throughout the week.
Anticipate vacation guilt and overwhelm. These feelings will inevitably hit. So it’s best to just prepare for them.
Decide what thoughts you are going to practice when the overwhelm hits. Have that list handy.
Review the to-do list you brainstormed in step 1. Is there anything you need to add? Add it. Adjust your calendar accordingly. Or rest assured you’ve already thought of everything.
Evaluate your meeting schedule and decide if there are low-value meetings you can cancel or skip this week.
Take a 5-minute break to stop staring and obsessing over your calendar. Then get back to a state of action.
During vacation
I would love to keep this section short and just write:
ENJOY YOUR VACATION! Check out and immerse yourself. Be present.
But, some of us recovering workaholics may need a bridge step. So, here it is if you MUST:
Process your inboxes one time. Choose two hours, maybe halfway through the vacation when you won’t be missing any valuable activities or relaxing time. Or, better yet, use the time when you’re sitting at the airport on the way home. Then, process your unread emails and IMs. The goal is not to do any actual project work. This time is simply to organize and plan. If you can send a response in two minutes or less, great, do it. Otherwise, add the task to your calendar leveraging some of the open flex time you planned for the week of your return.
Close the laptop. Shift your focus back. And ENJOY YOUR VACATION!
Post vacation
You did it.
Your brain is refreshed. You’re re-energized. You may even have some new ideas for tackling that problem that has stumped you for months.
Focus on the first task you scheduled for your return. Your first day back was already planned before you left, so you know right where to start.
Get that next vacation on the books. You’re a vacation pro. Time to make this a regular thing.
There is a way to be more productive.
You can show up as a new you with new ideas ready to add more value than you thought you were capable of. Loving your job instead of resenting it. Fulfilled in all areas of life instead of feeling sucked dry.
The answer: Take a vacation.
Bon voyage!
Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed? Do you feel like there are always important tasks left undone, hanging over your head? It's time to take control of your productivity and prove to yourself you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
Check out the 7 Days: Consider it Done! guide to transform the way you approach your to-do list.
Say goodbye to procrastination and unfulfilled goals and hello to a sense of control and reignited passion for life. Consider it done!
