July and August – the traditional holiday months and a time to get away from the stresses and strains, to relax and recharge the batteries. At least, this is what holidays used to be all about, now they’re just as likely to involve constant checking of phones and tablets, continued social media updates and only bite-sized chunks of time away from the workplace environment.
Which, to my mind, all seems rather sad…and this from someone who spends a considerable amount of their time with hands glued to a device of some sort. However, I do feel a pang of regret, when I receive an ‘Out of office’ e-mail from a colleague or client announcing they are on holidays but will be checking and responding to correspondence and communications. Have we reached a point where a week or two away still requires us to keep in the loop for fear that we are drowned in a sea of activity on our return?
One area which you should be able to switch off is your social media activity. I have just spent a week away and if I’m able to do it then I suspect anyone can. Of course there are a few things you’ll need to do before switching off completely but I guarantee that, once done, you’ll be able to leave work safe in the knowledge that the world will keep turning while you spend some well-earned time away with friends and family.
Firstly, let’s begin with the easiest step – your personal Twitter or Facebook accounts. My advice is to lock down all your personal social media accounts. Locking it down also means you’re retaining control, since while you’re away, and perhaps not looking at it so regularly, there is a danger that you won’t be able to control it. You may have some rather strange, weird and/or wonderful followers who could make your timeline look rather uncomfortable. That being the case, lock it down and don’t give it a second thought until you return.
Cover all eventualities
Secondly, what about if you’re in charge of your business’s social media? Well, if possible, get someone else to cover it while you’re away. Brief them – if you need to – about the dos and don’ts of being in charge, about what can and can’t be posted, and about the key activity that needs to be maintained. However, this doesn’t mean they have to be as full-on as you might be, but it’s an opportunity to keep things ticking over and to ensure your business is able to respond to any issues or requests that might be raised. It might well mean that your account is not so proactive as usual but it does mean you can cover all eventualities.
For sole traders and smaller firms, this might be a more difficult issue to overcome and you might well have to take a glance at social media while on holiday. If so, try to keep this to the bare minimum and remember, with certain applications, you can write and set up tweets to be issued at a certain time over the course of the holiday. By doing this, you’re showing continued activity and you can also respond as and when.
However, the important point is to enjoy the holiday and take a break. If this means, shutting down your social media activity completely for the duration, then so be it. It is not the end of the world, it won’t be the end of your business either.
Before you know it you’ll be back at work wishing you were away again. Take the time to enjoy your time off. Twitter can wait.
