How to Distract Yourself From Work Without Getting Attached to Colleagues
Senator Ted Cruz and his family fled to sunny Cancun, Mexico on Wednesday night due to a historic winter storm that struck Texas and left millions of residents without electricity and drinking water.
What could have been just an insidious rumor on Twitter was soon confirmed – in photos of the senator holding his boarding pass, wearing familiar sneakers and a branded mask emblazoned with his favorite Second Amendment rally cry, “Come and get this,” and news outlets including including Fox News . Soon, Twitter was riddled with contempt for Cruz (even more than usual) for dumping his constituents and colleagues in the hour of crisis.
It looks like the outpouring was enough to wrestle Cruz from the warm embrace of his oceanfront vacation, as reports show he was in Texas by Thursday morning. But it remains to be seen whether Cruz – who is as fond of tweeting as an apparently sun-drenched congressional break – learned any lessons from the episode, even as he left the other Texans to do his job for him .
While this is a high-profile example, Cruise’s mistakes can be helpful for workers in general, how to use their vacation without leaving colleagues in trouble.
Don’t take your leisure time during the high season.
You are most likely not a government official obligated to the needs of a wide range of stakeholders, but it is generally best not to schedule your free time during periods when your colleagues will be under a heavier workload than usual.
Most industries have a busier season of the year than others, and you’ll be doing your reputation a favor by resisting the urge to go into hiding when your ability is most needed. In Cruise’s case, it is likely that his family vacation was not planned on a whim. But since millions of the state’s residents were deprived of the electricity needed to withstand the unusually cold temperatures, he may have realized that his efforts were needed closer to home.
Understand what time of year you need a holistic approach and plan your vacation accordingly. If a personal or family crisis occurs even during a busy schedule, then it all obviously goes out the window – your personal and family needs will always prevail over those of your employer.
Let your coworkers know when you leave
If you’re worried that your well-earned vacation will leave your colleagues buried in the stream of your responsibilities, leave them a detailed note telling them what exactly you do that should not be ignored in your absence. If someone else has to do your job, list those tasks on a handout for your colleagues.
They will appreciate your candor and the fact that you left them with a clear outline of how you do your job, so they don’t have to rack their brains to figure it out for themselves. If you don’t, don’t be surprised if your coworkers start criticizing you in private.
Thank your colleagues for understanding the weakness.
No need to humiliate yourself – everyone deserves a vacation and uses their free time the way they want. But show your coworkers that you appreciate the courtesy if they had to add to their plates while you were away. You can do this with another written note or by offering another token of appreciation, such as a small gift or a tasty snack (when your office is safely reopened). Obviously, you shouldn’t feel the need to lavish them with praise, but letting them know that you appreciate their step forward while you dip your toes on the white sandy beach is sure to be cute.