Something to doWorkload & wellbeing
Leave so you can actually unplug
A simple exercise to communicate before time off, so you can enjoy it more
Why it’s worth your time
How you leave shapes how well you rest, and what you come back to. When people know what's done, what's waiting and who's covering, they don't need to reach you, and you don't need to check. Clear expectations also make your teammates more likely to have your back.
How to prepare your team before vacation
You’ll come away with a handoff everyone understands and an out-of-office that means it.
We’ll send one calendar invite per step.
- Tell us your first day off.
When's your first day off? The dates below work back from your last working day.
Set the date and every step below gets a real day.
- About two weeks out · 5 minTell your team and the people who depend on you that you'll be out, and when.
- About a week out · 20 minDecide what you'll finish, what can wait, and who's covering what. Agree it with the people covering.
- A few days out · 20 minSend a handoff message: the status of each open piece of work, who to contact for what, and whether you'll be reachable.
- Two days out · 5 minSend a short reminder to the people you work with most.
- The day before your last day · 20 minKeep some time open for last-minute questions about the handoff.
- Your last day · 15 minWrite a comeback list for yourself, set your out-of-office, and then actually go.
- When you're back · 5 minThank the people who covered for you, and name what they handled.
We’ll send one calendar invite per step.
Keep going with Truest
Small actions add up. Truest helps you find the next thing worth doing, make the space to do it, and keep a record of your progress. It’s a private place to work on your career, and it’s yours, not your employer’s.
- It actually happensWe’ll put it on your calendar and remind you before it starts.
- You know what’s nextTruest suggests the next small thing to try, based on what you’re working on.
- It’s yours to keepEach thing you do is saved to your private record, there when your next review or job search comes around.
Anything else we can help you with this week?
Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
They're adding your work to theirs. A handoff written from their side, what they'll be asked and where the answer lives, is more useful than a list of your projects.
What might make this harder
Say so to your manager early and agree what can simply wait. Naming what pauses is often all that's needed.
Questions people ask
How far in advance should I tell my team I'm taking vacation?
About two weeks is a good default for a week or more off, with a reminder a few days before. Longer leave usually needs more notice, and your company may have its own rules.
What should a vacation handoff email include?
Your dates, the status of each open piece of work, who to contact for what, and whether you'll be reachable. Keep it short enough that people will actually read it.
What should my out-of-office message say?
When you're back, who to contact instead, and, if it's true, that you won't be checking messages. Specific names help more than a general inbox.
How do I avoid checking work email on vacation?
Make it unnecessary before you go: a clear handoff, agreed coverage, and an honest out-of-office. If you'll check, set one time and stick to it.
Why this works, and where it comes from
Time off is supposed to be rest, but a lot of people spend it half working. Usually not because anything is on fire, but because nobody knows what's covered and they don't want to be the one who let something drop. How you leave shapes how well you rest. The prep isn't politeness; it's what makes it possible to stop checking.
Look at it from your teammates' side. Your absence adds to their week. What makes that easier is knowing early, knowing exactly what they're responsible for, and knowing what they can ignore. When they have that, covering for you is a small favor instead of a stressful guessing game, and people are generous with small favors.
Most of this will look familiar: a heads-up, a handoff note, an out-of-office. Truest's version spreads them over two weeks so none gets rushed, and adds the step people most often skip, the thank-you when you're back. That note is what makes people glad to cover for you next time.
It also changes what you come back to. A comeback list written on your last day means your first morning back starts with what matters instead of with the inbox. And if your workplace makes real time off genuinely hard, that's worth noticing. Doing the prep well is one of the few ways to make the case for it.
Other simple things to consider
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated October 7, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.