When it comes to holidays, do you skip out of work with ne’er a backward glance, or are you the person taking calls from colleagues while the air stewards perform their safety briefing? If you’re someone who struggles to forget about work when you’re on holiday, you’re not alone. A 2023 study suggests that 49 per cent of us feel anxious if we don’t check our work emails while we’re on holiday – but workplace wellbeing expert and best-selling author Andy Brown says this addiction is doing us more harm than good.
According to Brown, many employees struggle with the fine balance between work and rest, pushing themselves beyond their limits and resulting in what he calls an “emotional overdraft”.
This is when individuals sacrifice their physical and mental wellbeing for the sake of work, leading to stress, burnout and strained relationships.
Here are seven practical tips from Brown that will help you be more present with family and friends and truly switch off and recharge during your well-earned break this summer.
Understand your drivers
“You can’t hit the reset button and fully switch off if you don’t first understand why you feel incapable of fully disengaging from work.
“It’s essential to understand what drives you to stay connected. Whether it’s a sense of duty, fear of missing out, lack of trust in your co-workers or a habit stemming from a time when work and money was hard to come by, recognising these triggers can help you to address them.
“There are 10 key drivers of an emotional overdraft. To find out what fundamentally compels you to behave the way you do, you can take a free self-assessment.
“It’s a great way to understand why you feel compelled to check in. Once you know your drivers, you can take specific steps to mitigate them, such as delegating responsibilities or setting clear boundaries. This awareness is the first step to achieving a true break from work.”
Plan ahead
“Preparation is key to a stress-free holiday. Ensure all your tasks are either completed or delegated before you leave. Set up a comprehensive handover with your team and provide them with all necessary information to handle your responsibilities in your absence.
Establish a protocol for emergencies only, so your team knows when it’s appropriate to contact you. By planning ahead, you can leave work behind with the confidence that everything is under control.
“It’s also useful to remember that while you might think checking in is useful to your team, the opposite is often true. Being ‘available’ sets a precedent for others to do the same thing during their free time and it’s also a sign that you lack trust in your team to get things done. Set things up, then step away.”
Set clear boundaries
“Establish clear boundaries with your colleagues and clients before you go on holiday. Communicate your unavailability and designate someone to handle urgent matters if they crop up. Some people find it useful to add a line to their email footers, which includes upcoming holidays.
“Turn on your out-of-office email responder well in advance and clearly state your return date and who to contact in your absence.
“Oh, and remember to mute tools like Slack so you don’t receive notifications. All these boundaries help to manage expectations and reduce the likelihood of being disturbed during your break.”
Digitally detox
“One of the biggest challenges of switching off is the constant accessibility provided by digital devices. Commit to a digital detox by turning off work-related notifications and limiting your screen time. Consider uninstalling work apps or switching your phone to aeroplane mode for certain periods of the day. By reducing your digital interactions, you allow yourself to be more present and enjoy your holiday fully.”
Have the right holiday for you
“It’s all very well telling people to lie on that beach, read that book and sip those cocktails, but it’s worth spending some time thinking about the sort of holiday you really need. Are you craving a break from the everyday and need somewhere that provides adventure? Or are you physically exhausted and need somewhere that offers complete downtime?
“If you know you’re the sort of person who struggles to lie around the pool for hours each day, make sure you book in activities to avoid the pull of checking emails when you feel bored. Having the holiday you crave rather than a one-size-fits all will automatically shift your focus away from work.”
Take a healthy dose of realism
“It might be hard to believe, but it’s unlikely that anything is going to fall apart to the point of no repair while you’re away. A healthy dose of realism is often helpful – if not a little hard to stomach, especially for those who score highly on drivers such as ‘duty’. The bad news is that none of us are irreplaceable… but the good news is that none of us are irreplaceable!”
Reflect and reframe
“If you must let thoughts of work enter your head during your time off, reflect on your work habits and consider any changes you can make to improve your relationship with work and downtime. Reflect on what drives you to stay connected and think about ways to reframe these thoughts. Consider how your ability to disconnect has a ripple effect on those around you. And remember, within days of being back, you’ll be saying ‘it feels like I’ve never been away’. This time is precious – protect it.”
Andy Brown’s book, The Emotional Overdraft: 10 Simple Changes for Balancing Business Success and Wellbeing, is available on Amazon. Follow Andy on LinkedIn for more insights on leadership and wellbeing