Sometimes, you have a vacation scheduled so far in advance without the awareness of future projects. Then, just as you’ve started making plans, made your deposit, and arranged everything, a major project comes along.
At this point, you’ll be in a dilemma – should you cancel or just go and hope for the best? If you know what you’re doing, there’s no need to. Here are a few tips on successfully running a project even while on vacation.
1. Do the bulk of the work before you leave
You’ll usually know when you plan a vacation (unless it’s a last-minute thing). This means you’ll have enough time to rush through the project before leaving. Now, don’t force the project and compromise its quality just so that you can enjoy your vacation.
Sometimes, projects just can’t be completed before you leave; this is the point of this article.
Still, you can do so much before you leave. If you’re leaving an acting project manager (something we’ll discuss later), you may also want to hand in the reigns a few days before departing. This way, you can see how they handle things in person and still have the time to change your mind or make new arrangements.
Also, the thoughts of vacation will keep you fresh even in scenarios in which you would otherwise burn out. The more you do now, the less you worry when leaving.
2. Stay in touch with the team back home
Staying in touch while on holiday has never been easier. You can still check your emails, use IM services to communicate with people back home, and even participate in meetings.
The biggest problem lies in scheduling this. Where you’re at, it may be the middle of the night when people get to the office back at home. Also, you must avoid meddling too much unless you’re working full hours. Sure, you want to see how things are going but don’t micromanage everything.
You’re still on vacation with all of this out of the way. You could have canceled your trip if you wanted, and you chose not to. So, act like you’re on vacation. It’s great that you want to make sure that things run smoothly back home but don’t feel like everything will fall apart if you don’t. Put some faith in your team and try to relax.
3. Survey your target location
Your ability to work from abroad (let alone manage a project) will also depend on the location that you pick. This is especially the case if you’re chosen your location for a low cost of living (so that you have more purchasing power).
Remember that these “poorer” areas usually have a worse infrastructure than you’re used to. The internet may not be as fast, and the power socket may not fit your charger.
To avoid this problem, you must do homework before heading there. First, check what kind of internet there’s in the hotel. Second, make sure that you check out the Wi-Fi availability at the local beach.
Next, you also want to use a VPN and get a local SIM card. Sure, there are adjustments that you’ll have to make, and it’s easier when you think about them in advance.
4. Use a decent project management app
We can even talk about running projects from the other end of the globe because of the availability of some of the most amazing collaboration platforms in the world. Decent Kanban board apps can make your life much easier.
The best thing about Kanban apps is that they give you a visual representation of the project. This means you don’t have to spend too much time studying the latest changes. It’s all very transparent; you see the cards and columns from the landing page.
This means you will easily get up to date and won’t have to be distracted from your vacation for too long. You can also move and replace tasks in seconds and leave comments for everyone to see.
The key thing about these apps is that they’re mobile-friendly. That way, they’ll also be more vacation friendly.
5. Appoint an acting project manager
While you’ll still be on the line, there are some things you won’t be able to complete in your absence. This is why you need to appoint an acting project manager. This person will assist you in remote management more than they’ll run things. They’re your eyes and ears (and hands) in the office.
The key thing is to find the right person for the job. This is a team member with enough experience and capability and someone well-respected among the team members. Just remember that this is not a Game of Thrones, and appointing the right person for the job doesn’t mean you’ll suffer a coup while away.
Discuss the role with them, delegate enough authority, and even introduce them to the higher-ups. Establish communication protocols and ensure they can access you even when the others don’t. Also, check in on them more frequently than the rest of the team.
6. Deadlines or scheduled check-ins
While not at the office, you’ll have difficulty figuring out who’s checking in on time and who takes how much time on breaks. Sure, you can get some employee monitoring software, but you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to trick these tools.
Instead, you should give your staff deadlines instead of work hours. This way, you’ll have an easier job of checking if they’ve worked that day and are actively working.
You can also have scheduled check-ins with them. This way, they have to report once daily and submit their work (preferably in a simple format for you to review). You should trust your team, but you should also always verify.
7. Automate routine tasks
Remember, you’re on vacation, and it’s in your best interest to spend as much time as possible tanning on the beach and as little time watching at the screen. If you can automate some of the tasks, this shouldn’t be that impossible or hard to achieve.
Encourage your team to do the same. After all, automation ensures that the tasks are completed quicker and that there’s less room for human error. Just remember that there’s a reason why you have humans on your team and why, sophisticated as it is, AI has still not taken over.
8. Trust your team
It’s all about trust. You need to pick a team you trust, and as long as you do so, you won’t have trouble leaving them in charge of the project – you’ll know that your project is in good hands.
Remember that when selecting for the project (even if you’re not going anywhere), you might want to consider a fictional scenario where you have an emergency and must leave your team alone. Try to run this scenario/simulation in your head and figure out how the project will turn out. This simple strategy may help you with the recruitment process and even with the organization of your team.
Remember that there’s more to it than just a project. You also want a nice vacation, so you can’t afford to lose sleep over doubts about leaving incompetent people in charge.
If you’re too obsessed with the project to enjoy your vacation, you should have just stayed home
Ultimately, some people live as digital nomads, meaning working from a beach is their default. Will it be as easy as if you were back at the office? Of course not. However, it won’t be impossible either. Just focus on what matters and try to give it your best.
