Yes, it is ok to take a vacation during the middle of a pandemic.  Many managers and business owners agree, unless you are just returning from a shutdown, take your vacation days.

Many people are not booking as many vacation days this summer over concerns whether it is acceptable to take time off during the pandemic and subsequent downsizing. However, we have all been living through a highly stressful and intense situation for months and burnout is a much bigger threat to your career than time off.

While you may have had breaks here and there; most of us have not had a true break from everything that is going on. For months we have been managing trying to work from home, homeschooling our children and fighting cabin fever.

As always, good planning, communication, and coordination before and after any holiday will reinforce your professionalism and dedication to your employer. Give your team plenty of notice and address any potential issues before you go. Be proactive, get caught up on any work before you leave; so that your time off does not cause you to fall behind.  Choose an emergency liaison, a co-worker whom you trust that can reach you if a true emergency does arise.

What Should You Do?  Granted, this summer our options for travel and things to do are limited, but remember the purpose of your time off is to free your mind from contemplating the pandemic, working from home, cabin fever, the news and your isolation or lack thereof.  

Here are some helpful tips to make your vacation a success even if you stay in town:

• Pick specific dates and book the time off, it is not a holiday if you are still checking your email
• Safe local trips; you can socially distance while camping, renting a cottage, RV or van.
• Local sightseeing; pretend you’re a tourist; do some research and find out what is open; FYI both the Hockey Hall of Fame and The ROM have just re-opened; make sure to go on-line and buy your tickets in advance
• City walks, hikes, swimming holes, relax in a nearby park or beside the lake
• If you enjoy learning, schedule that on-line class you have been meaning to take, learn a new skill whether it be dancing, cooking, or golfing
• Make sure to take lots of pictures!  It is still your holiday.

If you do not want to take a full week off because you cannot travel anywhere, at least take a few long weekends to rejuvenate.

Vacation is pivotal to seeing work through fresh eyes, while your off, take inventory of what your new work world feels like. Ask yourself; What is easier? What is harder? What do I need to focus on that I did not before? How should I manage my time differently?

So, go ahead and book some vacation days, you deserve it. Besides, it will be Labor Day before we know it and you probably haven’t moved from your desk in months.

Have a great week,

Tracey

Source: Original article by Arianne Cohen, posted on Bloomberg Businessweek July 15,2020

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