Notify that you will
soon be on vacation

Do you want to avoid dealing with urgent firefighting situations while on vacation?

Then, this week's edition of Done! is for you.

Because, today, I’ll share how a simple extra line can help you leave work behind more easily when you're on leave.

Notify that you will soon be on vacation

It's nice to warn someone. By telling someone about something you know will happen soon, you give that person a chance to act before being faced with a done deal.

You give a fellow human being the opportunity to have reasonable advance notice for a task that needs to be done. You let the person avoid dealing with the consequences of an assumption that turned out to be wrong (we've all been there, right?). It's considerate!

A simple, thoughtful gesture

That's why I was pleased when Tomas Lidén wrote to me and told me that two to four weeks before more extended vacations, he usually adds an extra line in his email signature, which reads something like: ”ATTENTION! I will be on vacation from MM/DD to MM/DD.” He writes it in red text to make it more visible.

More solved beforehand, less left afterward

He told me that this has resulted in those he emails with frequently take the opportunity to discuss what they need to "bring up" with him in good time, knowing that he will soon be unavailable. And his pile of emails to deal with upon his return has been significantly smaller.

It seems like an excellent solution for all parties involved, doesn't it?

Do this

If you think Tomas' trick sounds clever, do the same.

• Add a similar warning line to your email signature the next time you’re going on vacation.
• Right now, there is a great opportunity a few weeks before Christmas!

I will be on an extended vacation over Christmas, so if you receive an email from me soon, you will see a similar line in my signature.

You give others a chance

By notifying those you email with that you will soon be on an extended vacation, you give them a chance to resolve everything with you before you "disappear". And as Tomas experienced, you will probably have fewer emails to deal with when you return.

What do you do?

Do you do this, too? Or do you do something completely different? Please write to me and tell me. As usual, I can be reached at david@stiernholm.com. In fact, two more readers contacted me independently after Tomas did and told me that they do the same thing. Perhaps this is more common than I have noticed.

Thank you for today, and see you again next week.