Business success advice

What is a ‘days off’ checklist and how to make one?

Whether it’s going on summer vacation or skiing, a long weekend or using some of your „old“ vacation days, days out of the office are always a good opportunity to relax and „recharge batteries“.

Still, for many of us, stepping outside the office can’t happen without thorough preparations. The work continues regardless of being absent from work. Therefore, a little extra effort should be put in to keep projects and tasks running smoothly without hiccups when we are not at work.

Good business success advice will help you to organize your time while at work, but also outside of work. That is exactly why you need a good checklist for days off in these situations.

Such a list will help in running the business smoothly without delays even when you are away and make returning to work after several days off easier. Here is how to make it.

Preparation and prioritization

“Think ahead and don’t make any appointments for the first day of your return to work“

About a week before you take your days off, make a list of key things you should do at work before leaving. This doesn’t only imply tasks you do yourself, but also projects on which you are collaborating with others. Financial reports or quarterly reports are just some of the examples you should focus on.

Also, make an additional list of projects that still may not have a set deadline, but still require your attention. This other list will help you get back to your routine much easier after returning from your days off and prevent accidental oversights.

Think ahead and don’t make any appointments for the first day of your return to work. That way, you are leaving yourself enough time to go through all the emails that came while you were away, answer the urgent ones and arrange your priorities.

It may not seem that important, but you should also tidy up your desk before leaving. Throw away all unnecessary papers and reminders. The look of your clean and tidy desk on the first day of your return to work will help you get back into your routine much easier.

Alleviate problems by atomization

Although your co-workers are well aware you will be absent for a while, your clients are most often not. That’s why simple business success advice can rid you of problems and misunderstandings with clients while you are away from work.

Compose an automatic email reply

You need only a few minutes to compose an automatic reply to an email that informs clients and co-workers that you are absent. That way, you are helping them solve their inquiries, requests or possible problems even when you are not at their disposal. In that email, you should specify how long will you be absent, the names and contact information of colleagues standing in for you and maybe your contact number in case of emergencies.

Update your voicemail

Just like with emails, a simple voicemail will ensure that your clients’ calls will be forwarded and not disregarded. Even if you have set an automatic call forwarding to co-workers standing in for you, a short voicemail is an excellent way to inform clients that you are absent from work, the reason for your absence and a time period.

Schedule regular emails and messages

If the business team is accustomed to regularly getting your emails and reminders regarding current projects and tasks, be sure to schedule them in your timetable before leaving the office. Also be sure to remind them that you are absent so they know not to expect quick replies to their possible inquiries or uncertainties regarding projects.

Automate approval processes

“By automating these processes through specialized software solutions and applications, not only are you saving your time during your absence, but you are making work easier for the whole team“

Many business success advice are focused on the ways you perform business tasks. However, it is equally important to take into account programs and applications that help you while doing so. Business process automation can make more complex tasks easier while you are absent. Approving incoming bills, managing contracts or approving supply are just some of the examples.

By automating these processes through specialized software solutions and applications, not only are you saving your time during your absence, but you are making work easier for the whole team. Besides, with the help of such solutions, you are completely removing the possibility of human error from the whole process. That means that your days off or days outside the office can go smoothly without worrying about lost orders, incorrect data input, misplaced emails or any other issue that can cause delays in production or order processing.

Real-time managing of all data from one place makes communication and collaboration much simpler which then increases the productivity of the whole business team.

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