Your summer holiday is a time to switch off, relax and recharge and for many the run-up to taking time off makes it even more chaotic, stressful and
pressured.
How often have you collapsed over the finish line before your holiday - or worse, had to work through it?
What’s your biggest, work-related holiday challenge?
- Last-minute pre-holiday chaos
- Juggling work and childcare
- Feeling guilty about taking time off
- Dreading the inevitable post-break backlog
Work doesn't stop just because you go on holiday. Will you still be checking emails, responding to requests or worse, having to make calls back to the office?
But with a little planning your summer break doesn’t mean you have to carry the stress of work into your time off
or the guilt of working when you should be relaxing and enjoying time away without having to think about work.
[There is a caveat to allow for flexibility, mixing work with holiday time but it needs clear boundaries!]
5 Ways to Prepare for Your Summer Break
If you leave it to the last minute to prepare for your holiday break, you're more likely to miss important details, rush the handover and create unnecessary stress.
For a more relaxed lead up to your break this year, start with these practical steps:
1. Set your out-of-office plan early
Identify your holiday dates, key deadlines and who can step in while you're away. Who needs to
know you're away? Let clients or colleagues know ahead of time - not the day before!
2. Identify what must be done (and what can wait)
Not everything needs to be ticked off and completed before you go. What needs to be done and what doesn't? Prioritise what matters,
negotiate timelines if you need to, delegate and communicate clearly about what’s on hold until your return.
3. Create a practical handover resource
Keep it short, clear and informative. Include key contacts, status updates, and any must-know info to help others keep things ticking over. Make sure your online project management or
CRM system is up-to-date.
4. Block out time to clear your inbox
Set aside 30–60 minutes 2-3 days before your final day to review and respond to important emails. Then set your out-of-office message with clear guidance - dates, contact etc.
5. Plan your return
What would a relaxed return look like? Avoid back-to-back meetings on your first day back. Block out your morning to reset, review and ease back in calmly. Include brief status update meetings but avoid full-on project meetings.
The Holiday Handover
Checklist
Tired of long, rambling handovers? Try this 5-point approach to keep things ticking over and enable you to switch off:
Take-off – Confirm your away dates and who’s
covering
Key contacts – Who can support specific tasks or clients
In-flight projects – What’s pending, delegated or paused
Must-knows – Deadlines, decisions or meetings to track
Landing – Your return date and first-day priorities
📌 Save this checklist – or
forward it to someone who always leaves things to the last minute.
