Make Your Vacation Stress-Free With These Easy Steps
How to Unplug from Work in 5 Simple Steps
Whether you have a family vacation coming up or you're simply looking to de-stress and relax, unplugging from the office can be both liberating and terrifying. If you aren't sure how to unplug from work, we have the tips and tricks you need to finally give yourself a much needed break. These are five ways in which you can unplug from the office and relax.
1. Enlist the help of a point of contact. Even if you're spending time away from the office, you can still ensure that your messages land in the right hands by appointing someone as your point of contact. This person can be your office secretary or even a friend. If this person receives an urgent message, he/she can decide whether or not it's important enough to relay to you while you're out of the office.
2. Let your clients know about your temporary hiatus. Simply letting your colleagues and clients know that you're unplugging from work will be enough to mitigate any messages or phone calls for the time being. You can add another layer of comfort by turning on the "Do Not Disturb" mode of your cell phone. If your work contacts respect you, they will give you the space you need to de-stress.
3. Turn off mobile push notifications for email. When your phone lights up, you might find it difficult not to scan it for a notification or email. You can keep your phone from distracting you by turning off your email's push notifications. If you previously switched the device into "Do Not Disturb" mode, this might also turn off push notifications.
4. Leave your work laptop at the office or at home. If you're going on vacation, don't bring any work-related materials along whatsoever. Even if you're planning on bringing your laptop along strictly for recreational use, keep in mind that "recreational use" could easily turn into full-blown work use. To be safe, just keep the device at home.
5. Lastly, stop worrying. For most workaholics, it can be an unsettling feeling to be disconnected from work, even if it's for a short while. However, it's incredibly important to keep in mind that unplugging from work almost never has any sort of negative effect on client relations, work ethic, or projects. Therefore, you owe it to yourself to live a little!
