Allison Jean Wottawa’s Post

+++MAKE YOUR VACATION WORK FOR YOU+++ Happy Monday, LI network! I just arrived home from a week-long vacation in Mexico. I had all the plans in the world to work while gone, yet the internet gods had other ideas in store for me. I was forced to not work! I suppose the idea of a vacation is designed around this concept, and yet I know hardly ANYONE who fully unplugs while on holiday; it seems impossible, and most people vacation with the intention of staying semi-plugged in. Between the habit of work and the financial dependency upon it, it is often hard to stop working. Halfway through my vacation, my internet started to pick up. We were at sea and then docked, and though I could have scheduled a little bit of work, I decided to keep the relaxation momentum going! I felt so stress-free and recharged from my few days sans-internet, that I stayed the course and took all 5 days off. I came back more energized and ready to WORK than ever. YES- there were emails to answer, calls to make, more work to be done... no shortage of new jobs to find candidates for. But did I miss MUCH? Was any of it urgent enough to take away from my Zen vacation mode? Definitely not. Moral of the story: The less you work on vacation, the more you will want to work off of it. Many of you are gearing up for summer holiday with family and friends; if so, give yourself some grace and compassion. Sometimes the best gift you can give to yourself- and your professional practice- is a break from it. If it is hard work to stop working, then you know it’s time to hit the reset button! Have a wonderful week, everyone! RS

Pre and Post vacation BLUES goes like this 🙈 (my tips to handle it better might surprise you) You know you’ll find too many emails and urgent tasks waiting for you on your return to work (post-holiday blues). On top of that, there’s the challenging period leading up to your break (pre-vacation blues). I always pack in too much, working on it. ☺️ With the BIG summer school holidays less than a month away, here are my tips for staying sane(r): 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵-𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 As soon as you book your actual holidays (got to love that feeling!), I recommend you add time slots for catching up with everything post your holidays. Scheduling time to tackle emails, urgent projects, team and customer inquiries after your holiday will help you feel less overwhelmed during your first week back. 2️⃣ 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 The perfect business owner is highly organised and never feels overwhelmed. Well, we’re not operating in a Ken & Barbie world. Especially as working parents. Not everything that needs our immediate attention can be planned for. Plus, we sometimes enjoy checking in with work when we're on holiday. Whatever works for you is OK. You're the boss. 3️⃣ 𝗕𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. Go easy on yourself when you end up in total ‘headless chicken’ mode despite your best efforts. 💜 4️⃣ 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱. Tell everyone who needs to know about your vacation dates. Add it to your calendar, SLACK, and your productivity tool. Prepare your team. When is the last time your team can get your feedback? What happens if clients want to speak to you urgently? Who on your team can deal with this in your absence? Does your out-of-office message communicate this? The list goes on. 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗢𝗨 PS. Tell me in the comments where you’re off to for your next vacation. This is a picture of me drinking Alsterwasser (beer with lemonade) and my son drinking apple juice during one of our German seaside breaks.

"You're working on vacation? Don't you want to spend time with us?" Have you ever found yourself on a beautiful vacation with your family, but unable to fully enjoy it because you can't unplug from work? This was me 8 years ago. I had finally gotten over the guilt of using my vacation time to go with my family on a dream vacation to Miami. We were surrounded by stunning beaches, crystal-clear water, and vibrant sunsets. It was everything I had imagined… except for one thing. I couldn't stop working. Instead of relaxing and making memories with my loved ones, I was glued to my phone, checking emails, responding to client requests, and stressing about the projects waiting for me back home. "Why are you working while on vacation?" my spouse asked, frustration evident in their voice. The truth was, I felt trapped. I was terrified that if I didn't stay on top of things, my business would fall apart. That's when I realized something had to change. I needed to build a system that allowed me to enjoy my life without constantly being tethered to work. It took a lot of trial and error, but I finally figured out how to create a business that gave me the freedom I craved. Now, I want to share those lessons with you. Here’s what I did to break free: Delegate and Trust: I built a team I could rely on, trained them well, and learned to trust them with critical tasks. Automate: I used automation tools to handle routine tasks, freeing up my time for what truly mattered. Set Boundaries: I established clear boundaries with clients about my availability, ensuring they respected my personal time. Create a System: I developed a streamlined process that kept my business running smoothly, even in my absence. The result? I went from feeling like a prisoner to my business to experiencing true freedom. I could finally take a vacation and be present with my family, knowing everything was under control. And I want the same for you. Imagine being able to truly disconnect, relax, and enjoy your time off, confident that your business is running smoothly without you. If you’re ready to break free from the constant grind and build a business that supports your dream lifestyle, let’s get started. Schedule a free strategy session with me, and let’s discuss how we can help you create a self-sustaining business that allows you to live life on your terms. Book your free call here: https://lnkd.in/gET6MsF7 To your freedom, Bryce Tubbs P.S. Tomorrow, I'll share a story about how one of my students transformed their business and life using these exact strategies. Stay tuned!

The Importance of Unplugging from Work When was the last time you took a good vacation? What’s keeping you stuck at work every year? Here, you’ll determine why you might not be taking a vacation, learn some tips and tricks for making your yearly getaway easier, and find ways to embrace the joy of missing out instead of the fear of missing out. https://lnkd.in/g4hp68cy

When I started my first job, going on vacation made me feel very anxious and guilty. I had so much to do, so many people relied on me, how could I let them down? I would take very few vacation days, and when I did, I would remind people that they could reach me if they needed to. I would read my email every day, sometimes even answer it. But two major things helped me change. 1️⃣ I realized I was not that important Since I was basically unable to say no, I would always take on new things to do, until at some point I could no longer handle everything. So, I had to leave some things aside and... nothing happened. I learned how to spot these things that were not so important and that I would never have time to do, and I started saying no. And again, nothing happened. People understood. Limiting the amount of work I took made me switch from "what is the next item on my list?" to "what should be the next item on my list?". This clearer view of what's important and what's not helped me to go on vacation more relaxed. Before I go, I now make sure others can deal with the important stuff without me. And then I can switch everything off until I return. 2️⃣ I saw what it felt like to work with others who couldn't disconnect I've worked with people who were not supposed to be here but still answered all of my messages, or, even worse, some of my messages. This left me feeling very confused: - Am I disturbing them in the middle of their vacation? - If I message them, will they answer? - Will they also expect me to answer my messages when I'm on vacation? I find it much more comfortable when people are just gone: I know they're not here, so I just deal with it. If something happens and I really can't handle it without them, it can usually wait. Or I can find workarounds. Or I can simply ask for forgiveness, because I couldn't ask for permission. There's always a way. --- These two things helped me have a sounder approach to vacations. I hope they can help you too. Thank you Ilan Goren for suggesting this topic! #VacationMode #LinkedInNewsEurope

When was the last time you took a vacation? A real vacation, when you disconnected and lived just for you and your loved ones. Where you intentionally stopped to refuel your tank and refresh your body and mind. I seriously fear that I don’t want to hear the answer to this question. After all, in this 21st-century working world, “hustling” in a corporate context is greatly glorified. We all want to be seen as hard-working and at the top of the class. The glorious accolades and the ultimate recognition and rewards are what we strive for, isn’t it? Be honest. At the risk of sounding like a broken record because I know we have heard it all before. You need to take meaningful breaks. Yes, a proper vacation. Lock up the cell phone, laptop, and other devices in a secure drawer somewhere. In other words, no checking emails, not perusing texts, let that call from the office to voice mail. You are not accessible, not for a couple of days at least. Too many of us walk around with the view that if we miss just one day of emails, the demise of the company will be looming. If that does occur, then I dare say we have a larger problem. I implore you. Take your vacation breaks, disconnect, or face the long-lasting consequences of burnout. You owe your body, your, family, and your loved ones at least that.

3 Tips For Returning Vacationers To Reconnect to Your To Do List That Gets You Back in the Flow Vacations are great, but Monday mornings the day you come back can be chaotic. Here are three tips for you to consider as you log in on Monday morning to get yourself back in the flow of work. **Confirm the targets for the current week** If you prepared properly when you left for vacation, you’ve already set your targets for the week you returned. If you haven’t, that’s the first thing that you need to accomplish. I like to ask myself, what is going to make this a great week? What needs to be true? My suggestion is to be more aggressive with your targets than you might normally be. I need that intensity to get myself back up to altitude. —— **Reconnect with your team** If you’re part of a team, reconnect with the team to see where everyone is at. This is part personal and part productive. If you were on vacation, share what you did and what you experienced. Bring your whole self back into the workplace. The other purpose is to see what facts and circumstances may have changed since you set your targets before you went out. It’s likely that those targets you set need a tweak here or there. —— **Refocus on your quarterly and annual goals** One of the first things you’ll feel coming back from vacation is overwhelm on all of the different things you could do. Reconnecting with your quarterly and annual goals is a must to prevent you from going off and taking actions that are wasteful. More likely than not, your vacation gave you the space to see with clarity on how you should focus on your goals going forward. Take that step to move them forward.

📅 As I prepare for my upcoming family holiday, I find myself caught in the familiar whirlwind of work tasks, handovers, and last-minute preparations. Sound familiar? The week before vacation can often feel like a race against time, trying to fit two weeks’ worth of work into one. 🤔 But here’s the question: Is there a way to take time off without feeling utterly drained beforehand? Can we truly enjoy our vacation without worrying about the aftermath? Here are some strategies to consider: 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞: • Choose your vacation dates wisely. Avoid peak work periods if possible. • Inform your team about your upcoming leave. Be transparent about your workload and any critical tasks that need attention. • Set up an out-of-office message to manage expectations while you’re away. 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞: • Make a list of essential tasks that must be completed before your vacation. • Delegate non-urgent work to colleagues. Trust them to handle things in your absence. • Focus on what truly matters—some tasks can wait until you return. 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐆𝐨: • Use the days leading up to your vacation to wind down. Avoid overcommitting. • Take short breaks during the day to clear your mind. • Consider small improvements to your workspace or home environment. A tidy desk can lead to a clearer mind.  𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞: • Resist the urge to check work emails constantly. Your vacation time is precious. • Engage in activities that rejuvenate you—whether it’s reading, spending time outdoors, or pursuing a hobby. 𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟, 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓𝑓 𝑖𝑠𝑛’𝑡 𝑎 𝑙𝑢𝑥𝑢𝑟𝑦; 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙-𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝑆𝑜, 𝑎𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑎𝑔𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑓𝑓 𝑜𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦 ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑦, 𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦. 🌴☀️

As many are coming back from a long weekend, I've been thinking about vacation time. Some say we at Microsoft have no paid vacation time, others that we have unlimited vacation time. Me? I take the Discretionary Time Off that *I* need to recharge and get my job done. I see taking vacation, as a critical step to re-energize both mentally and physically for the next many months of work. I love traveling for vacation because I know it has good for my mental health and reduces stress, especially when I unplug. I know that studies have shown that people who take vacations have lower rates of depression and anxiety than people who don’t take vacations. Plus traveling also helps me gain a new perspective on the world. It broadens my horizons and gives me a better understanding of different cultures and ways of life. So, yes, it's the "end of summer" in the northern hemisphere, but especially if you didn't take any time off this summer, take moment to plan. Plan to reduce that feeling of stress, that feeling of being overworked, or being generally overwhelmed. PLAN A VACATION. It doesn't need to be expensive. Spend a week being lazy at home or seeing a state park. Just do it! This could be just what you need to become refreshed and re-energized! Just plan it. #VacationMatters

Caption contest for what my son, Luke, is thinking here?  🤣 How to ACTUALLY Rest on Vacation 101: Step #1 :: Ensure your Teammates & Stakeholders get What They Need 🤝 Remind everyone a week out that you're going on vacation, and ask them to request anything they need from you at least three days before you leave. Time block the last three days to support on other people's needs. Close all loops before you leave. Ensure there is nothing dependent on you or your memory while you're away. Step #2 :: Find Someone to Be Your Vacation Shield 🙅♀️ This person needs to fully cover for you while you're gone, and you in turn can cover for them when they are on vacation. Notify EVERYONE that this person is covering for you, put it in an email auto-responder, and add it to your voicemail.  This is key. Step #3 :: Time-block Your Calendar for Re-entry Activities BEFORE You Leave 📆 Time-block your first two days back in the office BEFORE you leave, including re-entry meetings with your key team members, and ample time to clear your email. The goal is to get back up to speed quickly, without heavy expectation on deliverables. Trust me, you will want to kiss your past self square on the mouth for doing this for you. Step #4 :: Log Off of EVERYTHING  🤳 As you leave, turn off your devices or log out of all the things. Only answer the phone if it's your Vacation Shield, who knows to only call you if the sky is falling. Step #5 :: Be All In On Your Vacation ⛱ Take an awkward picture showing off your gummy smile with your family (and some donkeys), or you know, whatever it is you actually want to do on vacation. Step #6 :: Have a Day at Home Before You Go Back 🏡 Give yourself a day at home before you get back to work. Do your laundry, run your errands, be fully reset and ready to dive back in. Step #7 :: Do What Your Time Boss Planned For You For Re-entry 🔌 Step #3 was a gift to your future self. Run the plan, and thank your Time Boss for being so thoughtful. That's it! What other tips do you have? P.S. Caption contest for what my son, Luke, is thinking here?  🤣