Practicing mental fitness so you don’t need vacation after vacation
Vacation. Out of office. PTO or paid time off. Come the summer months, many of us choose to take time away from work or school in order to rest and recharge. Yet so often, we return from vacation feeling (and saying!) “I need another vacation.” Travel can take a toll on us whether it be from jet lag, physical activity, or the sheer effort involved in planning a trip. Even after restorative time away, returning to daily duties can sometimes feel overwhelming. How can we prevent ourselves from feeling mentally or emotionally exhausted?
We consulted the Savor Lining clinical team for their suggestions and created a handout for your convenience. Read on for more details.
Before we begin…
Here’s a quick but important caveat: don’t put off vacation for too long! Burnout and languishing are unfortunately very real issues facing the workforce. According to Positive Psychology, languishing refers to a sense of emptiness or stagnation that can hinder joy and motivation in daily life. Languishing and burnout often have similar symptoms:
- trouble focusing on tasks,
- not performing to one’s full potential,
- or even reduced interest in hobbies or withdrawing from social activities.
Whether because of peer pressure or the intensity of corporate culture, it can feel challenging to carve out time for a break. Dr. Tyson Pankey, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University, provides a helpful reminder: “Stepping away to recharge will help you to maintain the passion you feel toward your work and may give your brain the rest it needs to generate new ideas and solutions when you return.” Your colleagues are there to support the work in your absence, and as part of the larger ecosystem around you, integral to the process of staying mentally fit.
With these things in mind, let’s move on to the actual vacation!
Set an OOO message and calendar reminders
If you regularly use an online calendar, mark the dates you will be away. This has the added benefit of giving coworkers visibility to your travel times and scheduling any meetings around those. Clearly marking your calendar also allows you to plan projects accordingly.
Similarly, take a few minutes to set up an auto-reply message sharing the dates you’ll be out of office and the appropriate point(s) of contact in your absence. While it’s simple, having this in place will help you truly step away from your work. It may also reduce multiple outreaches from clients and potentially stressful situations by pointing people to the right place.
If you aren’t in a position where you can completely unplug while on the road, don’t fret – this next recommendation is for you.
Designate set work times
Do you have a crucial project underway? Are you the only person who can handle a certain task? If so, set aside time to do so during your trip. Be clear with your team and customers about your limited availability; it’s important to manage expectations by maintaining set boundaries.
Just as you would coordinate a flight or train ride before your vacation, plan your working hours beforehand. Find out if the area you are traveling to has a reliable internet connection if your work requires it. Update your team asynchronously when possible or provide a timeframe of when they should expect a response.
Be intentional about downtime
Vacations are meant to help you mentally and physically reset – are you making space to truly step away from the barrage of projects and notifications? Be present. Take a few minutes to observe the sights, sounds, and scents around you, whether that is a national park or tropical resort. Start with some activities you haven’t had time to do or want to try for the first time. Could you photograph or journal about the wildlife in that incredible nature preserve you’re visiting? Or how about paragliding with your travel companions on the coast?
No matter how you decide to engage with your surrounding environment, make it meaningful to you so that your cup is filled.
Schedule time when you’re back for triage and prioritization
Block off a reasonable amount of time the first day you are back from vacation to review email and important updates. Whether it’s for an hour or more, if possible, try to process without the distraction of meetings, calls, or replying to messages. Give colleagues advance notice so you can limit interruptions. If needed, plan out triaging time over the span of a few days or multiple shorter blocks morning and afternoon.
With these tips in mind, hopefully you are looking forward to not just an incredible vacation but also the confidence that comes with being mentally fit. Which of these methods are you going to try during your travels? If you have a suggestion for what has helped you fully unplug during your time away, share it by tagging Savor Lining on LinkedIn.
