Build sandcastles not stress

Picture the scene. You’re lying on the deck of your chartered yacht, soaking up the Caribbean sunshine and sipping a mojito, when suddenly there’s a loud ping.

Thankfully, this is not the sound of swimwear elastic but your phone.

So do you switch it off and go back to your daydream of joining the cast of Love Island?

Or do you immediately check your emails to see what’s happening back at the office?

If it’s the former, congratulations: you’re a manager who’s learned to delegate responsibilities and enjoy your holiday time without stressing.

But if you’re an email addict who would require surgery to remove that mobile phone from your grasp, don’t panic.

Firstly, you’re not alone.

Over a third of workers in the UK check their work emails while on holiday. Thankfully, we have four fab ways to persuade you why you should unwind and enjoy your vacation.

Reality check

Even the boss of bosses does not expect you to stay in work mode. In fact, they have been made well aware by their HR Manager that, because it’s not possible for you to contact out of statutory holiday entitlement, if they do contact you during mojito time they’re not allowing statutory holiday entitlement – which is in breach of Working Time Regulations.

Learn to let go

As a manager you need to be at the top of your game in order to inspire and motivate those around you. Finding yourself wading into work issues when you should be wading into the pool means only one thing: a grumpy boss is coming back to the office. You may think you’re doing your colleagues a favour by helping out but actually you’re saving up angst to take home with you.

You’ve got it covered

As a team leader you know having key players in place is part of your winning strategy. A good football coach would not run onto the pitch and try to score. Similarly, a great chief executive or manager knows to let the team get on with their job. Not only do you get a hassle-free break but staff gain new responsibilities and hone their own management skills.

Stick to the plan

Finally, as a manager you are often mission-critical. This doesn’t mean being online 24-7, however: it means you’re there if there’s a crisis. If this happens you’ll get a red alert from someone you’ve nominated to contact you by text or landline. Everything else can wait. Except for that mojito.

Posted on September 5, 2017