5 ways to stay ahead of your work before going on holiday

Summer is here and that means we’re all whiling away the hours at our desks dreaming about escaping the office for a well-deserved break.

We’ve written our holiday checklist, made sure our passport is up-to-date and the super organised amongst us might even have a suitcase packed and ready to go three weeks in advance (if this sounds familiar, you may be a little too keen).

But before we can sip piña coladas on the beach, we have to sort out our work load. After all, no one wants to return from holiday to stacks of unresolved tasks and disgruntled colleagues.

To assist you in this mission, we’ve listed our top tips on how to organise your work to ensure you have a stress-free holiday.

1. Prioritise

When time is of the essence, prioritising your tasks is key. Take some time to go through your to-do list and highlight any urgent jobs to ensure they are completed before you leave. If something creeps up on you mid-way through the week, you might need to consult your checklist once more so you don’t waste a single second of your valued time.

2. Plan ahead 

Your mind might not be able to venture far beyond your upcoming holiday, but spending some time planning the work you know needs to get done when you return is imperative. Think of it like spring cleaning the house, it may seem futile at the time but our holiday blues are instantly eased knowing we’ll be returning to a neat home. The same rules apply at work, so set aside some time to organise those impending jobs. Your future-self will thank you for it.

3. Prepare for interruptions 

We can plan our workload down to the final detail, but that doesn’t stop that email coming through with another task that can’t wait until after your holiday. It may be frustrating, but take a deep breath – refer back to our first tip in this list and, if you feel more comfortable working a couple of late nights to get the job done, so be it. Just remember all your stress will soon be far away.

4. Be realistic with your deadlines

We’d all love to jet off on our holidays with a clean slate, but some tasks are incredibly time-consuming and completing them to a high-standard in a limited time-frame might not be possible. You can put in the extra hours, but working yourself into a rut is not only unhealthy, it likely won’t bring good results. Stay positive, share your concerns with your colleagues and do as much as you can in the time you have.

5. Don’t leave your colleagues in the dark 

There is no ‘i’ in team and your colleagues will still depend on you even if you’re on the opposite side of the world. I’m not suggesting you attempt to check your emails when searching for mountain gorillas in Uganda or swimming in the Mediterranean, but taking the time to share your responsibilities with your colleagues and inform them of what you’ve been working on should they be called up on it in your absence will save everyone a lot of stress. 

Now your working week’s come to an end, you’ve shut down your computer and are ready to fly away to sunnier climes. And by sticking to our top five tips you can be safe in the knowledge that those inevitable holiday blues won’t be quite so bitter. 

Stephanie Coward

Managing Director, HCM

Stephanie Coward is Managing Director for HCM at IRIS, where she leads the strategy, innovation and growth of the organisation’s HR and payroll portfolio. She is responsible for positioning IRIS as a trusted partner to HR professionals and ensuring its solutions support the evolving needs of modern workforces.

With more than 25 years’ experience in the technology sector, Stephanie brings deep commercial and operational expertise, with a passion for improving the employee experience through technology.

Stephanie is committed to advancing IRIS’ HCM offering and helping organisations build more resilient, empowered workforces.