1. Remember, the weather is, in a word, crappy. Try to leave a half-day barrier on each side of your travel plans for preparation, unpacking and general things-go-wrong-ery. If you’re crossing a lot of time zones, keep the power of jetlag in mind, and consider increasing that barrier into a full day on each side.
2. Know what needs doing. Make a list of every unfinished thing in your office. Identify all the stuff that needs to get done before you leave, then separate it into two lists: what you can realistically get done in that time, and what you’ll need to delegate or push back.
3. Keep other folks' holiday plans in mind. When you contact clients or colleagues to ask for extensions or to delegate tasks, be prepared for them to have their own holiday-related requests. If you can help them out by accommodating them, they'll be more likely to help you and your working relationship will only get stronger.
4. Know what's awaiting your return. Make a list of everything that will be waiting for you when you get back. If the deadlines are too close to your return date, again, delay or delegate.
5. Communicate and stay in communication. Begin reminding everyone you work with that you’ll be out of town. Find a way to stay in the loop, whether that's lining up a contact person for your absence or making sure you'll have cell phone reception at your destination.
6. Make your return to the office easy. Don’t schedule anything too heavy for your first day back. No major meetings, no client reviews, etc. Catch up on your email, add new tasks to your “waiting for my return” list and prioritize them. And be sure to thank everyone for their help while you were gone.
Do you have any holiday travel plans this year? How are you preparing your office for them? Let me know in the comments!
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