Co-worker on vacation? Tips to Avoid the Extra Stress

Summer Survival series, Week 3: Managing Summer Work Stress

A focus on putting aside the guilty feelings of working, guilt from going on vacation, how to handle covering for co-workers without getting overwhelmed, and learning to relax while juggling work and summer obligations.

workplace-stress-006Vacations are awesome – as long as you are the one on vacation. It pretty much stinks for the employees left behind to pick up the slack.

To help avoid this type of summer stress, here are a few things to consider doing when you find out your co-worker(s) will soon be out of the office for summer vacation and you are left to cover for them:

–   Be sure to get all the information you need about your co-worker’s job, deadlines, clients, projects, etc., which you will need to cover for them in their absence. Not having necessary information, and not being able to contact your co-worker to find out the information, can cause a lot of unnecessary stress. You may think you know your co-workers job, but in actuality, you may not.

Ask your co-worker ahead of time about their workload and what will be expected or asked of you.  If it appears that it may be more than you can handle, speak with them or your supervisor. It’s better to address a problem, before it becomes a problem, rather than just expect to be stressed out over it and suffer the consequences.

Make you know how to get files or other materials  you’ll need to cover for them. Who to contact for what and their contact information. This can save a lot of time and headaches when problems or urgent situations arise.

– Set goals for what you want to get done the week your co-worker will be absent. Make a detailed to-do lists, and update it on a daily basis. Make sure you know all deadlines and work towards meeting those goals because staying on track helps prevent stress. If you have specific tasks to do to cover for a co-worker, avoid procrastinating or putting them off until the last minute, risking that they might not get done and reflect poorly on your co-worker. Remember that you will need them to cover for you on your vacation when that time comes and you’ll want to feel confident that they will do so to the best of their ability.

If you feel resentful about having to carry your co-worker’s load in their absence, you feel they don’t deserve your help, or that your employer is expecting too much from you, ask God for an extra dose of grace for dealing with this situation.  Trust that your hard work and dependability will not go unnoticed.

Don’t let someone take advantage of you, and say ‘no’ when warranted. Let colleagues know how much advance notice you will need if they want you to cover for them so you’ll have time to organize your own work to accommodate time for theirs.  If a co-worker seems to abuse your willingness to cover for them, make time to speak with them about your concern. Also remember to be considerate of your co-workers in this way as well. Treat others as you would wish to be treated.

Even when work is calling and you are feeling overwhelmed, try to make time for yourself. Take a break when needed.  Get a breath of fresh air. Talk a walk around the block.  Eat healthy foods. Take a mini break to check Facebook or Twitter. When you feel your best, your work will show it.

If you begin to feel super stressed, or overly anxious about all that needs to get done or extra hours you are being required to work, commit to spending some time in scripture or reading an inspirational book before or after work. Ask God to help your heart be at peace when work is chaotic, for the ability to get it all done, and to help you remain cool, calm and collected until the vacation storm passes.

 

Work is stressful enough without having to carry an extra load during co-worker’s vacations. But stress doesn’t have to get out of control even when it seems the workload is.  It might help to simply remember that “this too shall pass”. Smiles.

6 Comments

  1. Kari on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 1:29 pm

    For 35 years, I was deathly afraid of snakes, even pictures of them! However, when I came face to face with one, when looking for my lost diamond, while staying at a friend’s cabin alone, God spent the weekend helping me overcome that fear, and teaching me MUCH more about my relationship with Him! At first, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to step outside the cabin again and was convinced someone would have to come “rescue” me! God turned it into one of the most meaningful weekends of my life! He is good!!



  2. Kari on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 1:34 pm

    OOPS!!! Wrong day! Sorry about my previous comment 🙂



  3. Kari on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 2:22 pm

    Thank you, Tracie, for this great article! Currently, I don’t have a job, so I was going to skip over it. Somehow (God) I read it and realized that even tho I’m not at a 9-5 job, many things still apply to my home “job.” In January, we had 2 pipes freeze at 2 different ends of the house (in Arizona – go figure). Long story short (well, at least I’ll try for short), the contractor hired someone to come in at the beginning and clean EVERYTHING (clothes, wall hangings, furniture etc) in our house and pack it up and store it in 2 large pods in driveway while the repairs where being done. Recently, we were finally allowed to move back in with our 8,000 boxes. I have never been exactly “neat,” so I saw this as a huge blessing from God – a chance to start over – to create an organized “place” for everything we needed, and to give away the rest. Well, here we are weeks and weeks later with many of the 8,000 (ok, maybe I exaggerated a bit) boxes still unpacked and “stuff” everywhere, still without that coveted “place” to rest… you know, that age old rule – “A place for everything and everything in its place!” It has been very overwhelming for me to unpack in a somewhat organized fashion and to still have so far to go, so that I can get a paying job to help pay the bills. I had mistakenly thought that since this was everybody’s stuff, that everybody in the family would help….ha! So, short story long, I relate this article to my situation, with my family being the vacationing coworkers. I really needed to read the part about not being resentful. The suggestion to spend more time, not less, with God to find peace, in times of stress is very helpful!! Thanks again, Tracie, for allowing God to use you to share such wisdom 🙂



    • tmiles on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 3:09 pm

      Thanks for this extra perspective Kari! Hope you get all unpacked and organized very soon!



  4. Marilyn C on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 3:46 pm

    One of my biggest fears is giving Jesus the wheel. I am a control freak and I find it very hard to let go and let God. This past Sunday while at an evening service I asked God to change my heart in this area…I want to let Him show me how I can trust Him with all things in my life just like I did with salvation. Please pray for me as I am under a tremendous amount of stress.. I lost my dad to cancer 9 months ago and it has been very hard for me as I was close to hm. Thank you.



  5. Jada Smith on Wednesday, July 17, 2013 at 2:51 pm

    I have an overwhelming fear of spiders as well. So much so, that I won’t go outside at night and have nightmares about them. I’ve been working on giving my anxiety to God and this really helped! 🙂



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Tracie Miles is a bestselling author and the Director of COMPEL Training with Proverbs 31 Ministries.  She helps women grow stronger in their faith, pursue the life of purpose God designed them for and live a life of peace, joy and happiness despite their circumstances.

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