Workers: Stress-free “unplug” in 4 simple steps – Postman Financial

The summer vacation season is in full swing. Some are already enjoying their vacation, while others are trying to do so, since their excessive professional conscientiousness or the position of responsibility they assume in their work, makes them incapable of being completely cut off and having absolutely no contact with professional issues.

GSEE: Detailed guide to summer vacation for employees

In the USA… developed is not taken for granted

In addition, what we in Greece – and in Europe as a whole – know as regular paid days off, is not a given or axiomatic in all developed countries.

In an advanced American economy, for example, the work culture is distinct from the extravagance that characterizes many aspects of its overall culture as a country.

There, the legislator did not care about the compulsory paid work leave, and the workers find it difficult to take the vacation days granted to them by the employers, because it is not a given to pay their wages.

The average American takes 9 1/2 days off a year, and the majority say that even then they can’t disconnect from work. According to a Glassdoor survey, about 54% of Americans report that they still work during the holiday season or find it difficult to… disconnect completely these days.

The confession of 32-year-old American Kimberly Soros, who was born and raised in New Jersey, who followed her partner in Malmö, Sweden, is typical. As she told CNBC, she’s still getting used to the idea that she’s entitled to 25 working days of paid leave every year!

28-year-old Norwegian Lene Vindenes, who lives and works in Oslo in a particularly demanding position as a social media manager, is legally entitled to 25 working days of paid leave. She is required every 3 weeks by the company she works for to pick them up between June and August, and she admits that it’s “really hard” not to check her email when she’s away at work – and back after grueling weeks of work.

After trying so hard to really be able to get away from work on her days off, she offers 4 tips for those facing the same problem.

1. Ask your customers what they need from you

Just as if you were going to tell your boss and team when you’ll be gone, email the people you work closely letting them know about your days off. And in fact, be sure to do this about a month before your scheduled vacation, so that they have time to notify you of pending or immediate plans — requests, etc.

It helps to know your clients’ priorities and plan for what you can accomplish by the time you leave, what other colleagues can do, and what can wait until you return.

2. Arrange for a colleague to cover you in case of an emergency

What makes her feel most comfortable, Vindenes says, is that the company and her colleagues have her covered.

She and her team have “very clear routines” to keep things running smoothly, while in Norway there is a perception that colleagues’ free time should be respected, and they make sure not to contact him while he’s off, unless it’s really cool. Need.

A week before her vacation, Vindenes informed her colleagues about the ongoing cases so that they would be sufficiently informed and able to deal if necessary.

3. Tell your boss about your job

As the day when her vacation begins approaches, the 28-year-old manager informs her employer of the phase at which each job is under her responsibility.

In this way, he can guide her in the priorities that you must give her before leaving.

“It’s hard to enjoy your vacation when work interrupts it, so for me, I finish as many things as I can to make my vacation calm,” she says.

4. Set Out of Office and turn off all notifications

“It’s important that everyone around me — clients, colleagues, and managers — is well informed. This reduces their chances of contacting me,” Vendence points out. “I make sure there is a clear ‘out of the office’ auto-responder (ie: on electronic media, phones, etc.) that makes it easy for my clients to know who to contact while I’m away,” he adds.

Important: After you’ve sorted everything out, turn off notifications in email, messages, and other work-related apps.

Aside from the responsibilities, she says it’s helpful to work in an environment that encourages you to take time off.

“No one will die!”

After all, as he usually says, “I’m not a brain surgeon. I do marketing. Nobody’s going to die!”

When returning from vacation, it is not a bad idea – on the contrary – to ask your colleagues to give you a brief update on what you may have missed during your absence and the priorities that have been set, so as not to … get lost.

And remember: we work to live, not live to work. Work is not everything.