Goda Aukštikalnytė’s Post

August is here and that, unofficially, starts the countdown of our last month of summer! For many in the US, August is a peak time for squeezing in the last of summer vacation before the Labor Day holiday arrives. Note: Labor Day is also known as the "unofficial last day of summer". A client and I recently had a great conversation about his upcoming summer vacation. He was looking forward to taking two weeks off and planned to fully immerse himself in a bunch of outdoor activities over that time. Hiking, biking, fishing, boating, etc. It sounded amazing! What I heard in his voice and what I saw in his body language seemed to indicate otherwise! He mentioned that he was excited but also very anxious about taking 'such a long break with so many things going on at work.' He was going to take his laptop and check in on things in the evenings, just in case. It sounded to me like remote work vs. a two-week vacation. Wait.....what??? A bit of clarification, a bit of introspection, and a lot of 'a-ha' over the hour. By the end of our session, my client gained insights into how he might best prepare for the break so that he can truly immerse himself in his outdoor adventures *and* disconnect from work without feeling anxious. I'm looking forward to his next session, post-vacation! As you may be gearing up for your August vacation, this article from Harvard Business Review might be a great resource for you. The article provides insights into five boundaries you should consider setting BEFORE going on vacation. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gp-nB7mF I'm curious: -What boundaries do you SET before heading off on vacation? -What actions do you take to HOLD boundaries while on vacation? Please share your comments below!

Halfway through summer vacation season! 🏖 What boundaries do you SET before going on vacation? What actions do you take to HOLD boundaries while on vacation?? My short-list of actions to HOLD boundaries: 🔋 leave the laptop power adapter at home (rationale: it limits how much checking in I would be able to do) 🔑 change my Windows/MacOS password (rationale: won't be able to log in) ✈ leave device in airplane mode (rationale: no wifi to 'send' anything out) The one that worked the best?? 🎯 Telling my children that I will NOT work on vacation! One of the best accountability partners is adolescent (or teenage) children who will remind you CONSTANTLY about what you said were NOT going to do! 👀 😬 What boundaries do you SET/HOLD - and are they effective?? #IAmACoach #LeadingExecutively #VacationPreparation #Delegation #EmpowerYourTeams #UseYourPTO #Disconnect #Recharge

To work or not work during vacation? It depends on your 'why.' In many cases some of us work on vacations for very healthy reasons: 1. It's just part of your role and being a professional 2. It helps you relax. For example, spending 15-30 minutes/day on vacation may help you both enjoy your time off and make it easier for you when you return Some of us also work during our time off for unhealthy reasons: 1. Not being able to trust others 2. Compulsivity (e.g., not being able to separate from work) 3. Need to show colleagues how hard you work and committed you are 4. Poor boundary setting (e.g., saying 'yes' to meetings that can easily wait until you get back) 5. Lack of internal support for others to cover 6. Inflated sense of importance (e.g., the company can't afford for me to not work) As we enter the final stage of this vacation season, it's a great time to reflect on your relationship with work during your time off and adjust accordingly for your next break.

🚨 Watch Out: don’t miss your vacation opportunities! 🚨 As the summer sun shines brightly, the last day of July made me think about how essential it is to take vacations to pause and recharge. 🌟 I see that sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and forget about the most obvious things that taking time off gives: 🌞 improving work-life balance and preventing burnout 🌞 strengthening relationships 🌞 boosting well-being 🌞 boosting productivity upon return I usually take summer vacation in August or September – I’m waiting for them most of the year and I still wait this year too. My tip to make this waiting time nicer is to take regular shorter breaks for smaller trips. I plan it at the beginning of the year, making usage of the long weekends. It helps me to maintain balance between work and refreshment periods.  So, as we enjoy the summer season, let’s not forget to take those well-deserved days off. Trust me, your mind, body, and soul will thank you! 🌴🌺 Are you before or after your vacations? What are your tips not to miss planning your days-off? #WorkLifeBalance #MentalHealth #Productivity #WellBeing

It's mid-June and many of you are thinking about vacations. Maybe you're planning one. Maybe you need one. I had an interesting conversation with some colleagues today about vacations and how we view vacations today vs. how we did in our corporate lives. When I was in the corporate world, because of my tenure, I had 5 or more weeks of paid vacation every year. And given what my normal work week looked like (long days, emails late into the evening, and catching up on the weekend), I needed all 5 of those weeks. The problem of course was that I was often unable to take all 5 weeks. And even if I was able to go, it was with a company laptop and the expectation that I would be reachable (and ready to engage as needed). My friends had similar experiences. It's no longer uncommon for companies to offer "unlimited" vacation time. The challenge is being able to actually get time off - real time off, without a tether to the office. After a few years in my own business, my view of vacation time has changed. I can actually take all the time I want, and I tend to take a lot of time off. But it's because I can; it's because there are things I want to do; it's because I am more interested in family time and enjoying life than in meeting someone else's expectations. It's not because I need the break. My work provides me with purpose, I enjoy what I do, and while I like taking a break as much as anyone, I no longer feel like I need that break. People who haven't tried being their own boss tell me how stressful it is, how many hours it takes, how you give up your life for years to build that business. Maybe you're thinking the same thing. Maybe you would like to take control of your career, but you see too many barriers. But what if your assumptions aren't acccurate? What if the reality is different from what you believe? If you're interested in exploring the possibilities, and getting to a place where you don't need a vacation - but you are able take one whenever you want without having to ask for permission - let's talk. #findyourpath #worklifeharmony #vacation

🌴 Do you know how to rest at all? In Estonia, overworking and constantly postponing vacations are quite common. We are pleased to note that around 100 Euronics employees are currently on vacation, and we continually try to remind everyone how to rest in a way that maximizes the benefits. If a two-week vacation passes in a flash and you actually return to work feeling tired, then you should change something in your vacation plans next time. 🧠 Additionally, it's important to spread vacations throughout the year, not just take time off in the summer. It is sensible to go on vacation when you are not yet completely exhausted, but can anticipate and prevent those moments. Experts emphasize that you actually need to rest daily. 😴 It doesn’t matter whether you rest for a few minutes every hour or a couple of hours every day, it will be beneficial in any case! ❗️ Fontes Assessment Project Manager / Career Advisor Andra Värnik has translated a simple and quick test from English to Estonian to understand what you need to truly recover. Link: https://lnkd.in/dRatZYAW ❗️ You can find short but effective mental exercises for a few-minute rest breaks here: https://lnkd.in/dvBhHAmV

🌐 When was the last time you completely disconnected from work during your time off? I recently learned about the powerful distinction between OFF 🚫 and ON 🔛 vacations at a training session, and it compelled me to embark on a fully disconnected OFF vacation for the first time. The results were nothing short of transformative. 🚫What is an OFF vacation? It means you're entirely offline—no emails, no calls, not even a peek at work messages—from the beginning to the end of your break. It's about being wholly present, whether you're exploring new places 🌍, indulging in your hobbies 🎨, or simply relaxing at home with your family 🏡. 🔛 An ON vacation on the other hand, is being semi-connected. It can include daily email checks or taking occasional work-related calls. This might sound minimal, but even brief check-ins can disrupt your mental break and subtly shift your focus back to work-related stress. The benefits I experienced from a true OFF vacation were profound. I returned to work not just rested, but also invigorated and more creative 🧠. It was as if fully stepping away allowed my mind to reset and approach problems with a fresh perspective. Alhamdulillah. Taking a real break can often feel daunting, especially in today's always-on culture. But the positive impact on our #mentalhealth and #productivity is undeniable 💡. It's not always possible to take OFF vacations, but if you haven't done it before, I encourage you to consider disconnecting completely (even for a few dedicated days). Give yourself the gift of an OFF vacation 🎁. Your mind—and your work—will reap the benefits. Are you ready to truly turn off and tune out? What type of vacation do you usually take, and could an OFF #vacation be what you need to recharge fully? 🌟

Locking your employees out of their email during their vacation isn't the flex you think it is... I recently saw someone advocating for this. While I think it's important to have real vacations, I am also a lot more relaxed after being able to check in for 15 minutes each day. A large portion of my revenue was generated this year while I was on vacation. Not on purpose! I'm not sure why, but my clients love to give their offers while I'm traveling. It probably means I should plan more vacations. I'm more than okay with spending one hour of my vacation negotiating a killer offer for my candidate. It makes my vacation even better. But I also know which emails can wait. My work-life balance improved when I stopped trying to separate the two and instead figured out the balance that worked for me. Sure, you can say this works because I'm a business owner, but don't you want to give your employees the autonomy to run their own roles? Your employees need to learn how to manage their own time. If an employee is spending all vacation online, that's a problem. You should figure out how to resolve that, but locking them out isn't the answer.

To be honest, I’m shocked!🤯 I knew that there any many who keep checking their email during vacation. The fact that nearly 60% of respondents do it once or several times a day, is worse than I expected. There are definitely different reasons for people to do so. 1️⃣ It could be that one feels so passionate about their projects they want to stay up to date with any developments. 2️⃣ It could mean that a person has not managed to properly delegate their tasks to colleagues. Or if they have delegated projects, they do not trust the team members who are now responsible. 3️⃣ The most negative reason could be that there is no one to delegate the projects to. So despite being on vacation, a person is still responsible for their tasks. Here the question is also whether the person feels that their projects can not be put on halt while they are out of office, or - the worst-case scenario – the person is actually expected to manage ongoing projects while on vacation. Whatever the reasons, I feel this is a tendency that needs to be fought against. Both by team members themselves and by leaders – by enforcing standards and through setting a positive example and really switching off during vacation. Do you have any methods you use yourself or in your company to make sure people actually rest during vacation?

From Vacation to Vocation Many employees take advantage of the summertime warm weather to enjoy their vacations. Having just returned from a relaxing vacation, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to get back into the work routine. Here are some quick tips based on my recent experience that can help you transition seamlessly. 1. Enjoy chill day Avoid being in transit just hours prior to returning to work. Plan your trips to ensure you have at least one day to relax at home.   2. Map out your day  Once you return, spend your morning planning your day. Do not try to fit everything into the first day. 3. Connect with colleagues & enjoy activities Reconnecting with colleagues by catching up on their weekends over a morning coffee can help you integrate back into the team and provides a mental break from diving straight into work. A brief 5-minute chat can set a positive tone for the day. Also incorporate activities you enjoy into your after-work routine to maintain a balanced lifestyle and keep the post-vacation blues at bay. Returning to work after a vacation doesn’t have to be stressful. Embrace the return and remember that the next vacation is just around the corner!