Work Days Gone By
It’s hard to remember a time when we were not tethered to our devices. The days when we could simply leave the office for the night and trust that our work would be patiently waiting for us the next morning.
In the grand scheme of things, technology has made our daily lives easier. Even before the pandemic made telecommuting a necessity, technology was helping us communicate faster and speed up production across industries.
Some of us love being connected 24/7. We like being able to solve problems and provide instant solutions within a moment’s notice. But do all of those push notifications actually make us better at our jobs?
With the holidays around the corner let’s take a moment to reexamine the way we use technology, particularly while on vacation.
Tis the season to unplug
How many times have you sat down to dinner with your family but end up checking your inbox? Do you find yourself texting “just one more thought…” to your colleagues after hours?
Whether you’re someone who thrives on work or struggles to press pause – the illusion that we are all always “on-call” is a modern work cycle that is tough to break.
To help you unplug this season, we’ve compiled a few easy, no-cost ways to set stronger boundaries for yourself (and your team) to ensure a relaxing holiday.
1.) Vacation Reminders
Setting an auto-reply in your email is a no-brainer. This set-it-and-forget-it feature reminds everyone that you’re out on vacation and not living in your inbox. This feature allows you to redirect email inquiries to your team member who is holding down the fort.
Don’t be afraid to ignore your inbox the entire time your auto-reply is active. Trust that your contacts will respect your vacation time (they will) and that your on-call support will ensure everything runs smoothly (they will).
2.) Do Not Disturb Features
Do Not Disturb features are the best. Nearly every app on your phone comes with its own DND setting. You can even be so bold as to place your entire phone on DND mode!
Customize your settings to fit your self-care needs. If it’s work-related, mute it all until you’re back. Limiting your push notifications is good for your soul and helps you maintain a healthier work/life balance.
3.) Schedule it for later
It is true that for some, self-care does include catching up on work during the holidays. The ability to work at your own pace and feel extra organized for the New Year can be very rewarding. However, remember that your team needs (and deserves!) the ability to unplug too.
Using features like Boomerang or scheduled sends to set this boundary is crucial. These features keep your emails or comments from pinging your team until they are also back from vacation.
4.) Trust your team
Another simple way to help yourself unplug this holiday season is to trust the people (or systems) you’ve left in charge.
Remember that most businesses and vendors are also taking time off this season. It’s okay to trust that the people who are on-call will alert you if something comes up that truly needs your attention.
Self-care during the holidays looks different for everyone.
Give yourself grace this season by taking the time to unplug. We promise you’ll find yourself fresh and well-rested when it’s time to log back on, just like we did in those golden workdays of yore.
Interested in more ways technology can help create a better work/life balance for you and your team? Download our guide to Marketing Automation here.