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July has begun and for some, it’s already time to pack their vacation bags. How can you disconnect from your professional obligations during this break? Angelica Barrero-Guinand, clinical psychologist at Ifeel, reveals her valuable advice for a well-deserved digital break.
Some people find it easy to enjoy their vacation without thinking about work. They turn off their phones, stop checking their emails, and enjoy their time off to the fullest. But for others, disconnecting is impossible. And that’s a real problem, because our minds, like our bodies, need a break to unwind.
To leave with peace of mind, without thinking about work (or as little as possible), Angelica Barrero-Guinand advises organizing your vacation departure.
“Organization is made up of small details, but they are all important. For example, it could be creating an automatic response out-of-office message to inform your contacts of your unavailability and the date of your return. In this way, you reduce the risk of contact being made in your absence and encourage your disconnection.” she recommends.
You can also prepare a schedule or to-do list before your vacation and list those that will not be completed by the time of your summer break.
Accepting that you won’t be able to complete everything before you leave
Some people can’t get away from their job unless they’ve finished everything they had to do. But it’s not always possible to finish all your work before taking your vacation, and that’s a situation you have to accept.
To make this work as smoothly as possible, you need to learn to delegate! By keeping your colleagues informed of your progress, they will know what to do in case of an emergency and the work can be continued when you return.
Drop off your computer and phone
That’s it, your last day of work is over. It’s time for a well-deserved vacation! The first thing to do is to turn off your work phone and laptop and put them away. You don’t need to take them with you to your vacation spot, that would be the best way to succumb to temptation and not disconnect 100% after all, during this summer break.
Also, “Make your intention to disconnect clear to your teams, so they know that you can only be reached in case of ‘real’ emergencies” adds the expert. For people who use their personal phone at work, consider turning off certain alarms and other notifications, to truly cut yourself off from your daily professional obligations.
Feel good in your body, feel good in your head!
Take a step back and get away from it all
The psychologist’s final piece of advice is to really change your scenery during your vacation.
“Taking a step back is probably the simplest piece of advice, but the most difficult to apply. The best way to disconnect from work during the holidays is to enjoy yourself. This can involve simply resting (alone, with family or friends), but also a cultural change of scenery, sports activities or historical visits…” recommends the psychologist.
“Without putting pressure on yourself in terms of organization, you still need to be able to occupy your mind to really disconnect from everyday life during this period. You can also change your habits. For example, choosing to do a sporting activity when you wake up rather than reading your emails can make all the difference. As the days go by, you will no longer think about the office, the broken coffee machine or the noise of telephones in the open-plan office.” she says again.
To do this, the ideal is to take several consecutive weeks of vacation. To let go of the world of work and effectively recharge your batteries… Before getting back on the right foot!
Slideshow: 10 steps to a successful digital detox