Give me a break: How to get more out of your time-off

By Josh Feldman & Rachel Zieleniec

The way we enter and exit breaks, vacations or any meaningful time that disconnects us from our day-to-day, is an important part of ensuring that time feels successful. A little planning can go a long way. We know our suggestions will work for some, maybe not for all, and are ultimately an invitation to think a little differently about your time-off. Flexibility, scheduling, work environment, family, responsibilities and more all play a role in planning time away. If you have the ability, we encourage you to give these steps a go and let us know how/if they work for you: 

1.Get clear

Big important question: Is this break in service of your own rest, or to support someone or something else in your life?

For example, there is a difference between taking a break to go to a beach on your own schedule vs. attending a friend’s wedding vs. visiting family members. All can be meaningful time disconnected from work, but setting realistic expectations about what kind of experience or rest you are headed toward from the beginning will help you feel most set up for success, especially if you’re following the steps to come below.

If you begin to look at your breaks in this way, you may see you’re actually taking more of them than you thought throughout your year, but are you taking enough of them that are in service of your own rest?

2. Get organized

A couple weeks prior to your break, map out work deadlines and communicate changes or partnerships for while you are away. Be realistic and transparent about what you can finish before you go. Reflect on this with a co-worker - have you missed anything?    

Communicate explicitly regarding who does what while you are gone. Communicate with co-workers, your supervisor, and other stakeholders in advance, so everyone is on the same page. In some companies, a supervisor may be more involved in mapping this out; in others they may want to simply approve it.

3. Plan your return

It may feel counterintuitive to try to plan your return to work at the same time as your entrance to a break, but it can be just as important. For example, have you ever returned from a vacation only to feel like you never had a break within hours of coming back to work? Let’s try to change this, one break at a time. You can in fact plan your return to work thoughtfully. 

For example - If you are typically in many meetings, can you block your first one or two days back to work with no meetings? This will give you time to catch up on emails and other communication, allowing for spacious productivity. These time blocks act as transition days. Be proactive in planning a supportive return so you will feel less overwhelmed when you re-enter work. Does a full day of no meetings feel out of reach? Even a 2-hour dedicated work block when you return can help immensely. On the day before you go, make a short to-do list for the first day back. This will allow you to jump in with clarity and focus.

4. Communicate effectively 

In your internal and external communication during the few days prior to your break, remind colleagues and partners that you will be off work (it can even be in the PS: of your email to them) and align expectations of how out-of-touch you will be. Not all breaks are created equally as it relates to communication, but being clear on that for yourself and others will lead to success. If you are seeking to be fully out of touch, communicate that openly and transparently. If you need help here, return back to step #1 – remind yourself which type of break this is for you, how and in what ways you will be needed by others (personally and professionally) during that time. By thinking about your break through that lens, you can avoid feeling a strain between being present in your break vs. being present in your work.

5. Design a good OOO (out of office) message

For shorter breaks, your OOO may not need to have much detail, but if you can, don’t hesitate to share with folks that you are disconnecting from work (and in what capacity) during that time. This models that all breaks for you are important - even ones that aren’t totally in service of your own rest. For longer breaks, give folks ways to keep the work flowing in your absence and expectations of when you will be back in touch. The more specific, the better: dates, contact info for who they should reach out to, and clarity about projects that are on "pause" until you return. Some OOO messages might have several people listed, depending on the work.

In general, OOO messages can be powerful. They can be both a helpful tool to those receiving it as well as a way for you to feel more confident and comfortable in taking a break. If you have the ability, use your OOO message to your advantage. And, if you’re in a management position, modeling this for colleagues and those reporting to you can be just as important as implementing it for yourself to create the explicit message that breaks are important and that unplugging, and actually taking that disconnecting break, is part of the organization’s culture.

6. Develop a break mindset

Now this comes full circle. Once you feel as though your work is buttoned up in the ways you need, spend some time thinking about your break mindset. How do you hope to feel when you are on break? Even the shortest of breaks can be most successful if you get clear on how you hope to feel or what you hope to experience as part of it. Once you feel good there, try to then think about how you want to feel when you return.

For example, if this break is in service of your own rest – do you want to feel more connected to your health or more relaxed when you return? Or, if this break is in service to others, do you hope to feel good and fulfilled about being there for the people who need you? 

Ultimately, there are many kinds of rest. Here are some of the types and some questions to guide you as you determine what fits your current break mindset. Regardless of how you think about it, the most important thing is that you give yourself some space to actually do just that - think. This doesn’t always come easy, but it can be a great tool to help you transition from your day-to-day to your days off. Talk it through with a friend if you find yourself getting stuck. 

And finally, if you have the ability, your break mindset can only be strengthened by knowing the next time you’re going to have one. Try to ensure there’s another break planned and on the books in your future. 

Now, we’d love your thoughts...

What’s the top thing that helps you have successful breaks? Something you do that’s not on our list? Something you’ve done that’s on our list, but hasn’t quite worked for you? Share with us.