Make sure they understand that emergencies can arise, but you'll deal with them quickly, and your main concern is loving them and spending time with them. Telling them about your communication plan and everything you've done to make sure this trip is great will go a long way. 3) The power of the phone call limited to one person It's a big problem. Make sure you have someone on your team who can call you in an emergency. That's right, only one lonely human being with permission to interrupt your vacation if your team is unable to handle something. If you have a succession plan (which everyone should), this should be the person. Let everyone in your line of direct reports know who it is and that they should only use the power of the phone call if someone bleeds or dies (or of a similar level). 4) One hour a day for email It was a game changer for me.
I know, personally, that I would spend at least two days going through emails after a vacation. Just the thought of the emails piling Photo Background Removing up in my inbox would give me heartburn. A savvy friend of mine told me about his method of spending an hour every night sorting through his emails to clean up his inbox and deal with emergencies. Advertising Continue reading below The best part of this strategy is that you work outside of business hours, so you won't get dragged into any conversations while replying. Be sure to give an immediate solution or imply that you will fix the problem when you return (if possible). An added benefit is that you can clean up any emails that you have been copied to but were only for your information. I do this after the kids are asleep and while my wife is getting ready for bed, but you will find the best time for you.
This is the hardest part of the whole list, but the one that will save you from ruining another trip. Advertising Continue reading below In conclusion Your family wants to spend time with you. They love and care about you and deserve your full attention. It's amazing how frustrated many of us are with our families for having the courage to want to spend time with us! Especially since in the scheme of life, these things are not so important. Take the time to prepare and just enjoy your family. They are worth it. One last thought. Be sure to give your team members the same respect during their family time. Set an expectation and even go so far as to threaten discipline if they don't unplug and enjoy the time away from work. You'll be amazed at what this simple act can do for a workplace culture and for everyone's mental health. What are the reasons why your particular work situation makes it more difficult to take a real vacation?