What is out of office anxiety?

Out of office anxiety is the stress or unrest you experience just before or during your vacation because you are afraid that something will go wrong at work or that your work has not been properly handed over.

How can I prevent out of office anxiety?

A good preparation helps enormously: transfer your tasks on time, make clear agreements with colleagues about availability, and set up a smart out of office message.

Should I keep checking my email during my vacation?

That depends on your arrangements. If you really want to relax, it is advisable to go completely offline or to clearly set your boundaries so that you are not disturbed.

What should be included in an effective out of office message?

Clearly state that you are on vacation, until when, whether you can be reached for urgent matters, and who can handle contact in your absence.

How can I best hand over my work before my vacation?

Take ample time to explain your projects and tasks to colleagues, ensure that important information is easy to find, and go through the schedule together to avoid surprises.

Work & Money

Suffering from out of office anxiety? Here's how to relax on vacation

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Here's how to deal with out of office anxiety

Finally, the moment has arrived: you are going on vacation. After all the packing stress, it is now really time to step onto the plane. Once at your destination, the relaxation can begin. But as soon as you flop down on your beach chair, it starts to churn in your mind. Did you answer that last email from your colleague? Is your project properly handed over? Letting go of your work turns out to be harder than expected. Recognizable? Then you are probably suffering from out of office anxiety. Don't worry, we share the most important tips to actually go on vacation relaxed.

No vacation stress? Good preparation is key

An important characteristic of taking a vacation is that you usually plan this well in advance. This also means that you have some time to prepare everything. This naturally includes shopping for the perfect summer outfits and the eternal struggle with your suitcases, but also leaving your work in good order. By starting on this in time, you can already take away a lot of stress. So take the time to calmly hand over your projects to your colleagues and clearly let them know where they can find important information. Don't put this off until the last day before you leave; you will always see that a last-minute meeting comes up in between. Also, go through the schedule for the period you will be away together one more time. If there are still things on there where your help is needed, you can solve that now. This way, you prevent being contacted during your vacation with an urgent question.

The last working day before your vacation: this is what you want to do

It is of course tempting to close your laptop a bit earlier on the last working day before your vacation. It gives you just a bit more space to pack your suitcases. But while you reduce the packing stress, the out of office anxiety will actually increase. The time you can now spend on the last vacation preparations will take away from the time to properly finish your work. Although you are probably already mentally on the plane, it is still good to neatly finish your to-do list at the office or properly hand over tasks. This way, you prevent having to jump in during your vacation and the first day after your trip does not start with a mountain of tasks that have been left undone. With that certainty, your journey starts just a bit more relaxed.

Setting boundaries? That is what makes you professional

When handing over your tasks, it is also good to make clear agreements with your colleagues about what they can expect from you during your holiday. For example, are you planning to go completely offline, or will you occasionally check your email? If you clearly indicate these boundaries, your colleagues know where they stand and you will not be unnecessarily bothered with messages. Do keep an eye on yourself to maintain your boundaries. Answering an email while you are actually not available sends a confusing signal. Being very strict about your out of office afterwards is then not entirely credible anymore.

A smart out of office saves you worries

You have probably experienced sending someone an email and receiving an automatic reply stating that the person is on vacation. It was immediately clear that you could not reach that colleague for a while and that you had to look for another solution. And that is exactly the purpose of an out of office message. By filling out that email correctly, your colleagues know exactly where they stand, which gives you peace of mind as well. If you have resolved to respond to urgent emails, you can mention that in your out of office. The same goes for the date you will be back and for the person people can contact with their questions until then. If there are general announcements, for example about the weekly meeting you are chairing, you can also include those in your email. The clearer you are, the less of a mountain of emails there will be when you return to the office.

No to-do's for now

Taking the time to really relax every now and then actually ensures that you can be more productive later. You also need such a break to not completely burn out. So it is not only good for yourself, but also for your colleagues and boss that you take a break. You can also trust that they will manage just fine at the office for a week without you, especially if you have left them with good instructions. Trust that and try to really let go of your work. The first few days may be difficult, but it will get easier over time. It can help to plan more activities at the beginning of your vacation. This way, you discover the surroundings and have a distraction from your work. When you are really in vacation mode and no longer think about the office, you can enjoy your time on your beach chair to the fullest.

Image: Stephanie Branchu\/Netflix. Source: Women’s Health, Marie Claire.