There’s not much that’s more frustrating than being asked to reschedule your vacation just when you can taste relaxation. It’s easy to blame “management” for the snafu, but did you really do all you could and should to make sure it didn’t happen? Be sure you have all your bases covered when planning your vacation.

Plan ahead

Don’t wait until a new project is underway before deciding you’d like to be gone next week. Check what the lead time for scheduling vacations is in your department, but figure on planning at least one month and preferably three or more months in advance. It’s easier to arrange coverage for your responsibilities when people have time to prepare.

Update people

You submitted your vacation request six months ago, but that doesn’t mean everyone will remember when it is. As project milestones approach, remind your project manager and team members that you’re going to be away. Be careful which additional project responsibilities you volunteer to handle; it’s not fair to dump what you volunteered for last week into someone else’s lap next week when you’re gone.

Communicate clearly

Megan said she’d cover for you when you went on vacation, but don’t wait until your last day in the office to remind her of this and then breeze through everything she needs to know five minutes before you leave. Put together your to-do list and need-to-know information far enough in advance so you can go over everything with your backup a couple days before you leave. That way, if there are any questions, you’re still around to answer them. Before you walk out the door to begin your vacation, just make sure that list is updated.

Be realistic

Your goal is to have all your bases covered before you leave the office, but it’s always possible something important got lost in the shuffle or develops once you leave. It goes without saying that you should let your project manager know the best way to reach you if there’s such an emergency. And it might make your backup feel a bit better to know how to reach you if it’s really necessary. Everyone’s goal is to have an uninterrupted vacation, so trust that the contact information you leave behind won’t be abused.

Enjoy!

All it takes is a little planning up front to ensure you can enjoy your time away. So go ahead – soak up some sun, swoosh down those mountains, spend time with family and friends – and relax knowing that you’re covered.