Is Your Summer Vacation Just E-mail With a View? by Marc LeVine

Neglecting vacation is neglecting success because every success needs an accumulated positive energy! – Mehmet Murat Ildan

Well… another Memorial Day weekend has come and gone. The summer season is now upon us. There are only about 12 weeks of “fun in the sun” to be had as the time flies by, quickly. So, summer vacation time is underway.  We are expected to make the best of the summer winds until the days begin to grow shorter and that familiar autumn chill sets in not too long after Labor Day.

Why am I offering a blog post on vacation time when write about soft skills? Because, understanding how to take a relaxing vacation and successfully pulling it off is a very important soft skill on its own.

Those who are unable to disconnect from their daily work routine usually end up benefiting least from their summer vacations. We all need to use our time off from working to relax, refresh our minds and bodies, and recharge our motors. This required respite and hiatus allows us to jump back into our work and produce great results.  Too many of us are poor “vacationers.” Yet some just can’t seem to let go of their work habits and often bring them along on vacation to the chagrin of the family and friends accompanying us.

Why does this happen to so many? Force of habit for some. Unless we can properly disconnect, we often get caught in a loop and end up checking our emails, voicemails, and text messages every hour on the hour.  We do this just as we do - every day- during regular workweeks.

Fear is also a vacation killer.  Some of us just can’t stop worrying that they may no be missed while away. They tremble at the thought of their bosses thinking they may no longer be needed since everyone did fine without them for a whole week.  A bit silly, but true. No doubt some unscrupulous employer's "worst practices" have helped create this nightmarish perception shared by many.

Others among us just don’t want to fall far behind in their work and return to a mountain of “things to do” awaiting them.  Perhaps, some may be concerned that their currently unsupervised subordinates are "playing hooky" at work. Others fear that colleagues covering their work assignments aren't doing so properly. Still, others worry that work rivals may be campaigning for their jobs while they soak up the rays on a distant beach.  Experts call this paranoia.  Others recognize it as a symptom of 21st century stress caused by our own insecurities based on the unfortunate stories we have all heard about what happens to employees taking vacations.

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How can we ensure that our time off doesn’t inadvertently make us even more stressed than we already may be? The last amount of work we do prior to going on vacation should be communicating with all team members and delegating to some. The better we do at dotting all the “I’s” and crossing all the “t’s,” before we leave, the more likely we can enjoy a great vacation with relief and confidence.  

Here is what all employees taking vacation should do.

1.      Make a prioritized list of tasks that need to be done during your time off and establish a handoff process for each one, coordinating with anyone who will be filling in while you’re away.

2.      Send out advance notice of your vacation to anyone who might be impacted, so they’re all aware of how long you’ll be gone and whom to go to in your absence.

3.      When you return from vacation, take the first 30 minutes of your first day back to make a list of priorities, ideally before you open your inbox. Then tackle your new to-do list one item at a time. Remember: You deserve a restorative vacation—not additional stress for taking it.

During your vacation, establish what your intentions are and what the purpose of your vacation is. If you are taking a vacation to relax – RELAX!  If your vacation goal is to learn something new about a particular interest – LEARN it!  And if your vacation is to connect with friends and family – HAVE A BLAST!  

Whatever is your vacation intention it should be your only job during your time off. Just as you do at work – stay laser focused on whatever you are enjoying on vacation and do not allow yourself to get distracted.  You’re getting a vacation check to relax and not a paycheck to work. Your employer understands what he/she is paying for. In this case, to get back a well-rested employee, who will be better upon return than upon departure.

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The Author

My Recent Interview on “Engineering Success”

Marc LeVine is a graduate of Syracuse (NY) University with a degree in Industrial Psychology, Marc is currently Talent Acquisitions and Learning and Development Lead at Thermo Systems. He is the recipient of the Excellence in Talent Acquisitions Award from HR Awards in 2021.

Marc's prior employment includes senior Human Resources and Staffing Industry management roles with Edgewood Properties in Piscataway, NJ, Brickforce Staffing in Edison, NJ, InfoPro Inc. in Woodbridge NJ and Plainsboro, NJ and Harvard Industries in Farmingdale, NJ, a former Fortune 500 company. He also served as Director of Human Resources for New Jersey Press, the parent company of the Asbury Park Press, Home News and Tribune and WKXW-NJ101.5. Earlier in his career, Marc served as Director of Career Services and Placement at Union Technical Institute in Eatontown and Neptune, NJ. In addition, Marc owned and operated Integrity Consulting Associates, a New Jersey based Human Resources and Social Media Marketing firm for 11 years. Marc also served as Council President in his hometown of Freehold Borough, NJ