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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, August 16, 2004

Prioritizing work helps your mind take a vacation

By Michael Crom
Gannett News Service

We all want to be able to enjoy our time away from the office. But often, we spend time during our vacations concerned about what is happening back at work. These are some steps that may help you get organized before the trip and also help ease you back into work when you return.

Get organized. It is important to plan ahead. Notify anyone who will be affected by your absence of the date you'll be returning. That way, if you do not respond to them right away, they will know what is going on.

Also, make a list a few weeks before your vacation of tasks that you need to have accomplished by the time you leave. In addition, try not to procrastinate and push work off until you return. You don't want to be bogged down right when you have returned from a relaxing time away.

Set priorities. It is helpful to make a timeline of the goals you wish to accomplish before you leave. Put the most important tasks at the top of your list and concentrate on getting them done before the smaller jobs. When you return from your vacation, prioritize the tasks that have piled up while you were away.

Don't be overwhelmed. It is easy to feel stressed out when you return from a trip to find hundreds of e-mails and voice mails, and countless jobs to be done. Focus on getting one thing accomplished at a time.

Enjoy yourself. While you are on vacation, savor your time with your family and don't worry about the things awaiting you at the office. You will be able to handle everything when you return.