Ask HN: Tricks to disconnect from work while on vacation

[__all__]

Lately, I'm finding it particularly difficult to disconnect from work. I've tried deleting work apps from my phone, but I still find myself reinstalling them to check something.

It's particularly annoying since I really want to disconnect and rest.

What are your best tricks? Do you have any particular routine during holidays that allows you to completely forget about work?

[IceMetalPunk]

Man, our culture has seriously brainwashed us.

Might I suggest something my therapist recommended for anxiety, but which I think might help here as well? Put a rubber band around your wrist. Whenever you catch yourself about to re-install a work app, or even thinking about checking something work related, snap that rubber band as hard as you can to remind yourself not to. Do that until it's second-nature and you'll be stopping yourself before you realize you're about to do it.

[leros]

Talking to a therapist isn't a bad idea. For me, I discovered that my workaholism was based on an insecurity where I felt a need to constantly prove my worth through work successes. Working on that with a therapist was one of the most life changing things I ever did.

[tra3]

Why the downvotes I wonder? The rubber band trick is particularly effective for becoming mindful about certain reactions. It interrupts the pavlovian cycle.

Op writes:

> I've tried deleting work apps from my phone, but I still find myself reinstalling them to check something. > It's particularly annoying since I really want to disconnect and rest.

"check something"? what is that something? Can it be found outside of your work apps?

When I check my work apps, I'm looking for stimulation, the feeling of being productive, etc. Once I find something that needs attention it's difficult for me to let go.

My strategy is, whenever I'm bored and want to check my email, is to notice that I'm bored (or whatever I'm feeling at the time) and redirect that feeling/energy elsewhere. Family, hobbies, vacation. To make sure that work doesn't capture me, I disable all work related notifications (when not working).

Next time you check your work stuff outside of work time really pay attention to your internal state to see what's causing you do it, even though you say you don't wan to.

[leros]

It sounds like you're addicted to keeping in touch with work. I've been there and done that. This is a larger problem than vacations. It's a legitimate addiction likely rooted in some deeper issues.

I would suggest you start being stricter about work communication in general. Get work off your personal devices. I use an old phone as a secondary work only phone. Set some boundaries with this. Maybe don't take it out of your office at night. Or don't look at it after 7pm.

If you're anything like me, it probably takes you 3-5 days of vacation to fully unplug from work and relax. Imagine if you could relax this care free at the end of every day? This is what I'm talking about working towards.

[kleer001]

I assume you're talking about apps on your smart phone.

I leave my phone alone as much as possible. Leave it plugged in when I go outside. Leave it in my bedroom. Forget about charging it and let it die. Use the built in Wigital Wellbeing app and set your times to smaller and smaller chunks. I assume there's something similar on the iPhone if that's what you're using.

"But what about important calls? Won't I miss them?"

Sure. Are you a doctor? Another kind of medical professional? Forgetaboutit.

Most of all... DON'T WORK UNLESS YOU'RE GETTING PAID.

You wanna unplug? Unplug.

[vivegi]

Setup an out-of-office autoresponder with a colleague who is covering your absence and your manager's contact info for any escalations (talk to them and let them know you beforehand).

This has always worked for me. I setup a catchup meeting with the team member who covered for me and a separate meeting with my manager to get up to speed.

This has always worked for me.

And return the favor when it is your colleague's turn for the vacation.

[akshivb]

Acknowledge that you have a want to check things, and set aside a dedicated time to do so. That way you aren't haphazardly checking things while you are free, and you can limit the effect work has on your vacation. Worse than working on vacation is feeling bad about working on vacation.

[rapjr9]

Establish a ritual that acts as a border between work activity and home/play activity. It can be simple or complex, depending on how much it takes to convince your brain you've made the transition. Practice the ritual religiously (it could even be a religious ritual!) You will likely find your ritual makes the transition between states of mind easier over time. I don't know why it works, but it often does. For my father taking a nap as soon as he got home from work was what helped him. I like to alter room lighting across the house as a reminder I'm in a different mode. A change of clothing can help also. Whatever works on a daily basis seems likely to work when on holiday also.

[ironlake]

I don't even think about work in the evenings. Stop working when you're not being paid to work. Your employer should be hiring more people to cover the work you are doing off the clock. And, yes, even if you are salaried, you are working off the clock. One of the many reasons why wealth moves upward.

What's the net worth of the CEO of the company you work for? Do you think the CEO worries about you on the weekends? Why are you worried about his company?

[smarri]

I'd get a second phone to separate the work and personal life, and leave that behind when you go on vacation. Prepare a thorough handover before you leave so your team or someone else can pick things up, and trust them to do it. I try to remember that work will be just fine without me, I'm not that important (no matter how important you may be).

[mdcds]

> but I still find myself reinstalling them to check something

Sounds like you are more interested in your work than whatever you do on your vacations. That's fine. It happens.

I mute company chat app when I go on PTO and tell teammates to call me if there is an emergency. They have my number.

[shyn3]

I have a separate work laptop and phone.

I don't look at the work phone until PagerDuty goes off. If I don't look in 15 it escalates to my personal.

No email. Jira. Slack. Teams on my personal.

Edit: on vacation I power down both work devices and take them with me

[dev_0]

Nothing wrong about being obsessed with work and wanting to do well