(
)
Avacation is supposed to be restorative — a much-needed respite from the world of work — where we recharge our batteries and re-up for another round of meetings, sales pitches and desk duties.
Or so we’ve been told. Study after study shows escapes from the office yield no tangible stress relief. The latest — a survey of more than 1,000 employees released last month by the leadership training firm Fierce, Inc. — found more than 58 percent of vacationers come back to the office just as addled as when they left.
So, what gives?
Simply put, folks on vacation never actually leave their work behind them. Between checking e-mails, phoning co-workers and worrying about projects left behind, most people don’t disconnect from the office in a way that actually allows them to re-energize for another six months of duty.
So before you hit the beach for that final summer escape, here’s a suitcase full of tips from vacation experts, shrinks and businesspeople on how to detach from the office. . .
BEFORE YOU LEAVE
Finish early: Get your work affairs in order three days before you leave, says Brooklyn native Ritch Blasi, president of MediaRitch, a mobile and wireless consultancy. With that 72-hour cushion, you’ll have plenty of time to handle any last-minute “emergencies” that might crop up before you jet off.
And make sure everyone knows you prefer last-minute issues to be kept to a minimum: “Tell people, ‘If I don’t hear from you, I’m going to assume that you have no comments,’ ” Blasi says. “And when you leave, you’re already on vacation.”
The out-of-office e-mail: People who create an “out-of-office” e-mail often compose them with a woeful lack of specificity. It’s not enough to let people know you’re going on vacation: Include the dates you’ll be away, any contact people you’ve appointed to handle your duties and whether — as well as under what circumstances — you can be reached. If you don’t, you’ll have more face time with your BlackBerry than with your family and friends.
Experts say it’s best to have one person handle your duties while you’re gone, with an agreement that you’ll return the favor when it’s their turn to flee.
“You don’t want to list a whole bunch of people,” Blasi says. “The more cogs in the wheel you have, the more uncertainty you’ll have as to what to expect when you get back.”
Set boundaries: Unless you’re crystal clear with co-workers and customers about what’s worth interrupting your vacation, expect that smartphone to buzz aplenty.
“There are going to be a lot of people who think things are an emergency when they really aren’t,” says Amanda Augustine, job search expert at TheLadders.
WHILE ON VACATION
Escape when it’s slow: Nobody on the Jets or the Giants heads to Europe in November. Likewise, you shouldn’t plan that trip to Costa Rica right before earnings reports: Plan your vacation during the doldrums, when action is the least frantic.
There’s less of a chance your vacation will be interrupted, and your return will be less harrowing, says Steve Seibold, author of “177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class.”
Keep busy: While some people thrive at a resort, others need activities to keep their focus away from the office. So do whatever it takes — snorkeling, Zumba, bird watching, sky diving — to keep your mind active.
Going on a tour is one easy, effective way to disengage from the office.
“When you sign up for a tour, you tend to engage in your local environment, and your mind tends to be a little more focused. It’s a distraction,” says Tesla Martinez, president of Terra Nova Insights, a consultancy for multinationals. “And when you’re interacting with other people, you’re not checking your phone.”
Get some: One of the best ways to get into a restorative, Zen-like state is, not surprisingly, a steamy session in the sack.
Says who, you ask? Science!
“Get some dopamine going, which is the pleasure and reward neurotransmitter, and get some oxytocin going, which is a calming neurochemical,” says Marsha Lucas, a psychologist and author of “Rewire Your Brain for Love: Creating Vibrant Relationships Using the Science of Mindfulness.”
Be humble: When Apple founder Steve Jobs took a permanent vacation last year, many thought it spelled doom for the company. Yet today, it’s the most highly valued firm in history.
The lesson here? Let yourself relax. No matter how valuable you think you are to a business, it can continue — and even thrive — without you for a week or two, notes Seibold.
“My dad was dying last year, so I had to take the last 2 1/2 months off — and our companies lost zero revenue,” Seibold says. “I’ve been talking for years about how people are more delusional (about their importance) than they think they are, and I walked into my own trap.”
Lay off the sauce: While it’s tempting to stay up until 3 a.m. and party like a rock star, it’s a temptation to avoid, according to Lucas.
Alcohol, as well as sedatives like Xanax, affect part of your nervous system and interfere with a healthy sleep cycle, she says.
And if you don’t get the right amount and the right kind of shut-eye, you’ll return to work just as frazzled as when you left.
Unleash your inner artist: You don’t have to write a novel or paint a masterpiece, but getting the creative juices flowing will help you detach from the office — and it can be as simple as sketching your surroundings or snapping a few photos.
Creativity is “incredibly restorative to us and hopefully will inspire you to bring that home with you,” Lucas says.
Trust your team: Constantly hectoring your co-workers from a Bahamian beach not only ruins a vacation, but creates ill will that will last long after the last grain of sand is washed away.
“Going on vacation is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your trust in your team. If you’re constantly checking in, then what you’re doing is you’re signaling that you don’t trust them. Give them an opportunity to impress you,” says Doug Brown, academic program manager at Post University in Connecticut’s online MBA program.
“The worst thing you can do for a team is call in from vacation every day, asking, ‘How’s it going? How’s it going?’ he adds. “Your team doesn’t hear, ‘How’s it going?’ They hear, ‘I don’t trust you.’ ”
Flee to Antarctica: There are some workers who, no matter how hard they try, can’t stop themselves from calling the office and poring over e-mails.
If this sounds familiar, you need to go cold turkey by heading straight for a place where communications are prohibitively expensive — or even nonexistent.
“There are great destinations that will force you to disconnect because they just don’t have the service,” says Jeanenne Tornatore, senior editor at Orbitz.com.
And if that dream trip to Fiji isn’t possible? At least lock your cellphone in your hotel safe for the day.
UPON YOUR RETURN
Re-enter with care: Resist the temptation to return with guns blazing. Your first week back should be a recovery period to help you regain your bearings — without losing the restorative benefits of going on vacation in the first place.
“If you’re gone for a week, it’s going to take you at least a week to catch up,” Brown says. “I know so many people who will lose vacation refreshment on day one of returning . . . they’re trying to get a week’s worth of work done in a day.”
Instead of scheduling a whirlwind of meetings, give yourself large blocks of time to get up to speed on what you missed. Instead of tackling your entire inbox, have a trusted co-worker point you to the most important e-mails. Meet briefly with staff to get the lowdown on what you missed.
“So many people say, ‘It wasn’t worth going,’ ” he adds. “What are you talking about? That’s a problem with how you came back.”