Expert tips for checking things off your to-do list and turning them off during your vacation

Have you ever felt that booking a job is more trouble than it’s worth?

Staying up late the day before you leave, stressed with everything you have to do, responding to emails you receive despite clear OOO messages, being overloaded with tasks as soon as you get back to the office, being on vacation Me I realize that Zen has become a distant memory.

This is not healthy.

We all need and deserve a proper vacation where we can get away from work to relax, recover and remember that our work is not everything.

But doing so can be difficult.

Alicia Navarro, founder and CEO of deep work startup FLOWN, believes the key to relaxing and enjoying a vacation is the last day before you leave.

Below, he shares his best tips for clearing your to-do list and getting to work.

Manage expectations from the start

“Look at the facts,” Alicia said. “I never cross off my to-do list before I go.

“Tasks are coming in constantly, and the feedback loop makes it less likely that I’ll cross the last task off my list at 5:30 pm on my last day at the office.

“So write down your priorities before you go and make sure your boss and your team know what’s on your list and what’s not.

“While your partner is listening to you, it’s okay to say, ‘I won’t talk until you get back.'”

prioritize progress

Please note that we cannot resolve all outstanding issues.

alicia says: Focus your efforts on progress, not on the frustration of never ending.

“Before you leave the office, you can go on vacation if you can leave an impressive achievement on your boss’s desk. Because I know I will motivate my colleagues to achieve it.” ‘

don’t try to multitask

Multitasking doesn’t work. Stop trying to get me to do more.

Instead of trying to do too many things in your head at once, prioritize your tasks based on what you have planned before you leave and advise yourself to tackle them one at a time.

“It’s better to make progress on a few big things than to show nothing in a pre-holiday sprint.”

try the time box

alice says: This means assigning a finite block of time to a task and completing the task within that block.

Come up with a realistic, no-pressure time allocation, then cut it in half.

imeboxing works because it forces your brain to focus. It also silences the inner critic in your mind. I don’t have time to listen to it.

“Finish your work and move on. Dani!

don’t forget to take a break

It’s easy to fall into the mindset of “Well, I’m going to take it easy on my annual vacation, so all I have to do is work.”

This is not a good idea. I still need breaks throughout the day.

“Try to recharge your concentration often,” Alicia suggests. “Rest within reasonable working hours, or you will spend the first few days of vacation without rest.”

“Walk, breathe, be creative. You can also take five minutes between work sprints to pack smart.”

Make sure your message to the office isn’t too obvious

Don’t give anyone an excuse to bother you while you’re on vacation.

Make it clear in your OOO message that you will be out of work from this date to this date and will not be checking email during your absence.

Please be sure to let us know your contact information in case of absence.

Set limits and stick to them

listen to this Please write.

Don’t check your email. If you check your email, don’t reply.

When you set limits and undermine them, you are sending a message to others. You don’t have to respect your limits.

In more practical terms, if you say you don’t check your email and then reply to it, people expect you to reply. Then just work on the rest of your hard earned money.

do not do it

Determination of return to work limits

alice says:

“Don’t let suffering ruin the last day of your vacation.”

really really turn it off

Alice advises:

“The harder it is to get to work apps, the more time you have to think about whether you really need to see them.”

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