ResolutionsRTK

An Easter Survival Guide:
Tips for balancing work and life in the lead up to planned absences

Christina Villani
Manager Restore

In the current work environment, we are driven by our own personal goals and the expectations of our employers to work hard, make budget, hit targets, keep the customers happy and ensure we don’t “drop the ball”. Then the Christmas break finally arrives and many employees take a hard earned break and recover from their ‘busy-bee’ schedules. Well-rested and ready for round two, we return to work. However, we often return to a workload that has been unmanaged and left for our return, or cover an additional work load for someone that covered for you on your break. In either scenario, this makes for a busy work period in the coming weeks and months. And just as you feel you’ve gotten back into the swing of things and caught up on your workload, we are already seeing the Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns filling the shelves. Is it any wonder some find it hard to remain focussed on the job at hand!!

So how can we ensure that we plan and manage our workload to reduce the risk of ‘Christmas Dejavu’ when we return to work post the Easter holidays? Here are some helpful hints to manage planned leave throughout the year:

Become Your Own Time Manager

Identify what work will be due in the coming weeks. Then set a timeline/schedule for any work due into your diary for the coming weeks to ensure you have a true picture of your available time to meet requirements.
Only plan for 60% of your diary time as you will often need to complete unplanned tasks. If you cannot fit in unplanned tasks and then complete the unplanned tasks as a priority, you will end up falling behind schedule resulting in a back log of work.
In planning your time, this should highlight where you might require some additional support or resources to enable you to manage your workload. Always ask for help where required. This should not be a burden hidden from your Manager as they are a resource for support.

Build Team Awareness of Planned Absences

So you’ve identified what tasks need to be completed and when, now you need to build team awareness to ensure they are able to support you in your time of leave:

Chat to your Manager and provide feedback on what tasks will require actioning and the expected outcomes of those actions.
Determine who will manage those tasks whilst your away.
Determine what tasks you will have completed by the next holiday period, what you might not have completed, and what will definitely need to be completed in your absence.
Schedule a time at least 1 week prior to your leave to meet with the allocated staff assisting with your workload in your absence. This will enable you the opportunity to complete a handover and identify any training gaps or further resources that staff member might require.
Document your agreed tasks and action plan and provide a copy to the staff member assisting you and your manager.

Avoid the ‘all or nothing’ approach to planned leave

It is important to not 'burn out' leading up to your leave period. Planning is a key ingredient to a balanced work/life diet. Some further helpful hints have been listed for you below:

Drink plenty of water to remain hydrated throughout the work day. Poor hydration impacts on oxygen flowing through the body which impacts our energy levels. This can make it hard to remain focussed. No oxygen – no energy!
Step away from your work area during lunch breaks so that you don’t feel as though you are a slave to your work. Taking a planned lunch break can often make dealing with difficult tasks easier after a clearer head.
Just like we don't recommend you don’t plan 100% of your diary at work, try not to plan 100% of your spare time out of work too. Leaving some spare time in your personal life is a key to recovering mentally and physically and regenerating the mind. Grab a glossy magazine or watch your favourite show on TV and relax the mind and body.
Ensure you get enough sleep each night and try to retreat at the same time each night. The body goes through different states of sleep during the night, some of which are heavier and some are lighter states of sleep. If you wake at the same time everyday though go to bed at varying times of the night, this makes it difficult for your biological clock to adjust which potentially results in you waking during a heavy sleep state which will make you feel very tired and sluggish. In short, our bodies like sleep routines.

Sticking to these key principles will assist you to manage your upcoming tasks, maintain your energy levels and prepare those around you to feel resourced and confident enough to know what they need to do in managing your work during your period of leave. Well planned leave should actually prevent, not create, stress for you and your team. So enjoy those Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns – you’ve earned them!