Vacations Are Good for Business

Using vacation time (aka PTO) is a good business investment. Most executives don’t take time off work because they are too busy and too worried about the state of the business to step away. Ironically, when leaders do take much-needed vacation time, they come back with better perspective, more energy and new ideas. When top executives are focused, optimistic and energized, the whole organization benefits.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American man today works 100 more hours a year than he did in the 1970s, according to a Cornell University study. And, the average woman works 200 more hours per year than her ‘70’s counterpart — that’s five more weeks of work annually. Those added hours are being leached away from our personal lives, family time and sleep schedules. In fact, the typical American sleeps one to two hours less per night than his or her parents did.

Well-run businesses usually have balanced executives at their helms. Taking vacation time is a major contributor to successful professionals. These leaders know how to plan, prioritize and delegate so they can get away from the office, while making sure operations continue to function in their absence. They can comfortably leave their smart phones, iPads and laptops behind and be confident that work is getting done and clients are being taken care of.

Whether you are an up-and-comer, department head, senior executive or business owner, you owe it to yourself, your family and your company to take vacation time. No matter how driven, successful or busy you are, downtime can be more productive than working through your well-deserved four weeks of PTO. Vacations create the opportunity to reflect, brainstorm and formulate new ideas that may change the face of the business.

Walking away from e-mail, voicemail, texts, FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter can be as difficult as it is liberating, but you can do it – and, you should do it. Rest assured that your time away from the office – regardless of what you’re doing – is time well spent. Shed the guilt, stop making excuses and look at vacation time as an investment in yourself and the business. Downtime will enable you to relax, come back to work refreshed and contribute at a higher level. And in order to be able to do that, you need to do a little pre-vacation planning. That includes:

1. Plan ahead. Make sure your staff knows what is expected of them. If you plan far enough in advance, you can pre-set major deadlines to fall before you leave or after you return. And, depending on the size of your staff, it may be prudent for co-workers to alternate their vacation time with yours.
2. Designate a leader. Use vacation time as an opportunity to give your “second-in-command” the chance to “rise to the occasion.” Designate your back-up leader well in advance of your vacation time, train them, make sure they understand and share your values for performance, quality and client service. Also, make sure that the staff knows this person is in charge in your absence.
3. Set deadlines. Make sure your staff knows their deadlines and has everything they may need to meet them.
4. Inform your clients. Let your clients know you plan to take some well-deserved R&R. Inform them who is in charge during your absence as well as what to expect and when to expect it. Make sure they are confident work will get done as usual (quality, communications, deadlines, budgets, etc.).
5. CYA: Make sure your staff has multiple ways to get in touch with you in case of an emergency. But, make sure to define what actually constitutes an emergency. Much like telling your kids, “Don’t call me unless the house is burning down,” you really have to set boundaries.

You have a designated allotment of vacation time or “paid time off” (PTO) each year. Schedule your time off, plan accordingly with your office and clients and REALLY get away from everything, INCLUDING work-related technology. You will be amazed at your renewed outlook on work – and life – when you return from a well-deserved vacation. Your business and co-workers will thank you for it.

About Devra Callaghan
Devra Callaghan has 20 years of strategic marketing, public relations and advertising experience. Throughout her impressive career, she has led the development and marketing of some of the country’s largest brands across a variety of consumer and business-to-business industries. These include healthcare, manufacturing, logistics/distribution, financial services, legal, retail, technology, telecommunications, food service, arts, sports, entertainment, higher education and not-for-profit. As Synergy Marketing Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Devra sets the strategic direction on agency accounts and provides clients with executive counsel throughout the relationship. Her areas of expertise include market research and analysis, establishing brand and creative direction, strategic message development, identifying ways to reach diverse target audience groups, creating sponsorship opportunities and measuring marketing return on marketing investment. Devra is an invaluable resource and strong client advocate who plays an active role in the strategic planning and budgeting processes. Throughout her career she has been a board member and active participant in most of Indianapolis’ most respected marketing, advertising and PR associations and trade organizations. Devra welcomes inquiries and can be reached at Synergy Marketing Group at devra@synergy-mg.com, via the agency’s website at www.synergy-mg.com or 317.205.9690 ext. 227.