All educators need time to recharge their batteries, after all, you have worked hard all year long, and you’re dreaming of lying on the beach, spending times in the mountains or just relaxing at home, a well-deserved vacation is in order.
Vacation time is a time to unplug from the daily grind; it’s a time to recharge your battery and return to work energized and focused. However, for many being able to disconnect entirely is hard, we often fall prey to checking phones, emails, text messages and calling into the school.
To help you completely unplug from school while on vacation, it will take some planning and a great deal of self-discipline on your part. If you find you’re not able to completely unplug, there are ways to check-in without it consuming your rest time.
Planning is Key – When considering your vacation timeline, I suggest you take into consideration the busy times in the school. You will probably want to pick a date during the slow months.
Communicate with Co-Workers – They say communication is critical in every relationship, well it certainly plays an essential role in disconnecting when you’re on vacation. Once you have your vacation dates set, begin the process of communicating with your co-workers.
- Turn on your out-of-office notification for all incoming email communications and change your voicemail, advising you are out of the office and the date you will return. These communications notifications are an excellent way for you to unplug without feeling guilty about missing an important message and it will communicate to others you won’t be responding immediately to their messages.
Buddy Systems – Even though you have planned and communicated with your colleagues, on occasion you will still have a few items that might need immediate attention. I suggest that you communicate that while you’re on vacation if something needs immediate attention they may contact someone else in your absence. Provide their name and their contact information, phone number and email address.
Creating work and play balance in life is essential to a happy and healthy life. It’s important for everyone to be able to disconnect while on vacation. Follow these easy steps to ensure you have the opportunity to entirely unplug and enjoy your vacation.