Last weekend, the Epic Reser Summer of 2021 had its soft kickoff with our trip to Walla Walla. But come next weekend our very busy summer will shift into high gear. More about the first headlining event of the season in a future blog post!

However, tonight I wanted to bring to light a first world problem that afflicts all of us leaving the office (or virtual office) for vacation. Namely, I am talking about the preparation and work it takes to make sure everything is in order prior to shutting the laptop for the final time before checking out.

Most of us are familiar with the prep work that teachers go through before they take a day off. They write a lesson plan for the substitute and make sure the classroom is set up for the next day. Teachers do all they can to minimize any type of disruption that could occur in their absence.

That’s primarily the goal for all of us working our jobs too. Even when we are out, we want to make it seem as if we are in—at least to an external audience. Although our out-of-office automated email responses will always give us away, the point I am making is that most workers in corporate America take pride in making sure their unit will still function properly when they take well-deserved time off to get out of dodge.

But pulling this off doesn’t happen simply by snapping one’s fingers. My rule of thumb is that you start preparing for your absence based on how many days you are taking off. So, if you are disconnecting for five days in the mountains, you should probably start getting things covered five days prior to you clocking out for the final time. This means that you are essentially working double time. Not only are you putting everything in place for the days you won’t be in the office but you are also working in the present and doing your duties for that particular day.

Of course this can get a little stressful. Not only are you doing double duty but you are sweating whether you aren’t forgetting anything all while crossing your fingers that nothing goes haywire while you are gone. Your mind spins in different directions.

Please don’t think I am asking for your sympathy. I believe that the extra stress is actually worth it. Why? Well, the more you have your ducks in a row prior to leaving the more you can actually enjoy your vacation when you are gone. There is nothing worse than finding yourself consumed with a work issue when you are on the beach due to your own lack of preparation. Now, because I work in social media there is always a chance that issues out of my control will come up that I need to tend to but I will do everything in my power to cover the bases that I can.

Pre-vacation work anxiety is real. However, I don’t mind having it because it only means that a lot of fun is around the corner. I think I can handle that. Don’t Blink.