May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Chase Sterling, our managing consultant of PartnerWell, has some tips on how to ensure you get the most out of any time off of work, which is essential for your wellbeing:
1) Try to block time off at the start of the calendar year. It can feel like there is never a good time to take off work, however everyone needs time off. Start with blocking the days and then work on scheduling what you will do.
2) Uninstall all work related apps from your phone before vacation, or at a minimum move them off your main screen and turn off notifications. Disable email, chat apps (Teams, Slack), and even LinkedIn. Even professional networking is work!
3) Leave the computer at home. Remove the temptation.
4) Lead by example: Do not answer emails, attend meetings, or take calls during your time off.
5) Have a meeting and send out an email with business continuity information before your time off. Empower your team to solve problems without your input.
6) Define what a crisis or emergency situation would be in case you absolutely must be reached.
7) Detach and relax! Enjoy this time; you deserve it!
