How to manage when you’re too busy at work for a holiday

Are you completely overwhelmed and too busy at work for a holiday? You deserve a break, but when you’re too busy at work, you may wonder if it’s worth it; fearful of creating even more work for yourself afterwards.

There’s nothing worse than stressing about your inbox while you’re away or worse, checking emails and taking work calls at the beach! If you’re travelling with others, it’s unfair to them too.

They want to enjoy your company and not be pulled into a stressy work vibe; you should all be enjoying your well-earned holiday.

You’ve got to be able to take time off properly and destress, otherwise what’s the point? You shouldn’t feel guilty or worried about taking your annual leave. Holidays are a time to switch off.

If you feel way too busy at work for a holiday, you can use the following techniques to ease your mind beforehand and while you’re away. Whether you work for yourself or a company/organisation, you should be able to apply much of the below to your scenario.

1 – Plan ahead

It’s highly unlikely you will be taking holiday very last minute so plan accordingly. You wouldn’t book time off during your busiest times of the year but go further than that to keep anxiety down.

Don’t book a holiday right after a deadline because you could experience delays, extensions or lots of feedback/queries right afterwards.

If you’ve been in your job or had your company a while, you’ll know when things are particularly quiet, or when others you work with also go offline, say around school holidays, Christmas or the summer perhaps.

Make the most of these times, when it’s likely you won’t be able to get hold of others or get things actioned fast anyway. You can schedule your leave well in advance once you know the cycle and peaks of your role or company.

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2 – Batch work in advance

Yes, this means working extra hard beforehand and getting more than normal done in advance to cover your time away. This may already be a habit for you if you work for yourself and use nifty automation strategies.

Batch working and scheduling things to go out while you’re away is amazing if you have the kind of job that allows for that. Some of you will already work this way out of habit and it’s so important if you want to plan for a break.

If batch working doesn’t quite suit your job, you can still think about what to do in advance. This may include: sending invoices out early, asking colleagues if they can send things earlier, prepping up tasks like analysis or report writing, so the bulk is done and you just need to add the finishing touches when you’re back and so on.

Think about what else you can get done ahead of time that really won’t wait. This will all help you when you feel too busy at work for a holiday/vacation.

3 – Ask for support

In many busy workplaces (mine included), we have a terrible habit of working in silos, so it doesn’t come naturally to ask others to cover us. We also know our colleagues are super busy too and don’t want to overburden them.

However, it’s worthwhile putting a polite request out (or just beg) and saying hey, can you cover me on these things while I’m away and I’ll do the same for you when you take time off? I had a good experience of this recently and felt so grateful.

Keep the tasks as light as possible and give them a good handover so they feel confident to cover you. Bring them back a little gift of appreciation or make them tea/coffee for a week beforehand and they will remember that next time!

If you work for yourself and don’t have colleagues, is there a friend or family member that could keep an eye on emails or requests in case something important pops up? Or could you hire a personal or virtual assistant temporarily to cover the essentials?

4 – Communication is key

Let anyone that needs to know, that you will be taking time off, and tell them know in good time. Whether it be clients, suppliers, colleagues and so on, they will all appreciate you letting them know early on.

You might feel worried about telling colleagues you’re taking time off (especially if it’s a long stint) but tell them in advance, and it should be fine. They are probably looking forward to their own breaks.

Make sure you have a clear notification on your email out of office of who to contact in an emergency. And if you have the kind of job where there isn’t really ever an emergency, just let them know you’ll get back to them as soon as you’re back.

If you do have an alternative contact for them, give it out but clarify the terms or specifics that they should contact that person (again, so your colleague doesn’t get overwhelmed with lots of things that could have waited).

5 – Consider the benefits

If you’re already overdoing it at work, and close to burnout, then you’ll know how important it is to step away and take a break. This will contribute hugely to protecting your well-being and the benefits could be massive.

Imagine how happy you will be when you take a break and enjoy yourself, finally finding that precious me time to read a book, sleep more, eat well and relax. And also consider the advantages upon your return.

You will come back to work stronger, rested and more inspired. You’ll be in a much more positive frame of mind and those around you will also reap the benefits.

Consider how well and happy your colleagues look after some time off. Don’t you deserve the same?

Q&A’s on being too busy at work for a holiday / vacation:

How do I stop worrying about work on holiday?

The above tips should help you stop worrying while away because you have planned in advance and tried to mitigate any issues arising. You need to give yourself permission to relax and switch off.

Planning for any eventuality will help with your anxiety and ability to let go. You will be home soon enough to deal with any outstanding issues, so enjoy your time off when you have it.

How do I disconnect from work while on vacation?

You might need time to disconnect. If you were stressed in the lead up to your vacation, you will need a little longer to wind down and let go.

You may need a couple of days away from the laptop and phone to really disconnect but do put on your out of office and switch off. As stated above, planning helps with managing anxiety and is a skill you can get better at with practice.

How do you balance work and life during the holidays?

By managing work and life during your day to day too. By allowing yourself breaks in the day and at weekends you will set up a rhythm that respects your work commitments, but also your right to time off to recharge.

This then builds into better healthy habits when it’s your time to take a holiday or even have a break at home when you need it.

Your body should crave and look forward to time off. We all need and benefit from it. Even just a day off to yourself at home is a great way to recharge.

Remember, we work more productively if we do get this balance right because otherwise you will find yourself burned out or working through sickness.

If you are getting down or ill frequently, you need to listen to your body and rebalance your commitments for your physical and mental health.

Learn to say no and learn when to stop.

Final thoughts – when you’re too busy at work for a holiday

Whether you’re taking an exciting holiday overseas or a staycation purely for the rest, this list should help you mitigate any likely issues if you feel too busy at work for a holiday break.

If you’re struggling, consider talking to a medical professional or counselling service, if need be. Take a step and prioritise yourself. Read more about self-care when you work from home

Taking a break or a full holiday from work is essential for our mental health so don’t make excuses and book that time off. Check out the post for alternative holiday ideas and enjoy yourself! You shouldn’t be too busy to take your vacation.

If you want to travel light then read how to pack everything into a carry-on.

You should be able to take a holiday and not be checking in on work all the time or on your phone. Even the most successful entrepreneurs know the value of switching off and disconnecting.

If your workplace isn’t supportive of you taking annual leave or expects you to still work when you’re supposed to be off, check what the laws are specific to your country or region. If you are in the UK you can check your rights on the UK Government website.

The US and Canada have less generous paid leave schemes, so you may need to look at taking unpaid leave.

If you work for yourself, you need to give yourself some decent benefits. That is why you started your own business right? To be your own boss? So, build in that balance so you don’t find yourself too busy at work for a vacation.

If you start telling yourself, nope, I’m far too busy at work for a holiday, remember, we spend most of our lives working. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to get back to it, and for many years to come!

If you’re thinking about travelling alone but unsure, read more about the benefits and follow me on Instagram for regular reminders on finding balance between work, parenting and more.

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The information provided is for educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. This site is not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information.