How to Work While on Vacation and Still Get Some Time Off
It used to be that a vacation was a time to get away. But now, the technology that makes it possible to stay in touch with work when you’re away sometimes makes it necessary to stay in touch with work when you’re away.
According to a study by technology provider TeamViewer, 61 percent of employed Americans expected to spend time on work-related tasks during their summer vacation this year, up from 52 percent last year. In another survey, 36 percent of Americans said they are working at least once a day while on vacation. Europeans typically have longer vacations than Americans—taking twenty-five to thirty personal days compared to our ten or fewer—so even if they spend some of that time working, they’re still spending a lot more time not working.
As much as some people don’t want to be out of the loop while on vacation, few claim to be happy to work while on vacation. Still, some people are now so accustomed to staying in touch with the office that they’re actually less stressed on vacation when they can stay connected. Some find it easier to relax if they can check in to ensure that everything is going smoothly—or if it’s not, to tackle problems that might otherwise escalate into crises by the time they’re back. Who wants to return to a suffocating stack of email messages?
If you have to work while on vacation, try to set aside specific blocks of times, such as one hour each day, as your work time. Before you leave, let your coworkers know that this is the only time you'll be responding to email, calls, and other work needs. Other than those specific blocks of time, digitally disconnect; send your calls to voicemail, keep your laptop out of sight, and so on.
Before you leave, remind your boss that you’ll be heading out in a few days and that you’d rather not be interrupted by work issues. If your work can’t survive your absence, arrange for a coworker to handle some of your responsibilities. Try not to take on major assignments before leaving; this is especially the case if you’re taking a big trip and need those last few days to get your act together.
It’s becoming increasingly rare to take a vacation in a place that lacks Internet access. Even Mount Everest now has high-speed wireless Internet service, so you can tweet from the top! But if you do manage to spend your vacation in one of the few remaining places on Earth where there is no computer access, you might want to schedule a day or two to catch up on messages before you return to your desk. Bon voyage!
