You’ve worked hard, and you’ve finally earned that incentive trip. Congrats! And now that your departure is finally upon you, you look at your suitcase and wonder what to pack. You’ve already counted on things like clothes, your bathing suit, comfortable sneakers, your phone charger, your laptop, that great novel to read by the beach. You may have even packed some things without even being aware of it, things that shouldn’t come along for the trip. Here are a few things you should leave behind, and they’re probably not what you thought.
#1. Stress
Work can be stressful. You spend at least hours a day, five days a week in your office juggling all kinds of tasks. After a while, it can really wear on you. An incentive trip is designed to help you relax so that you can return rested, refreshed and energized. It is this recharging that is crucial to a successful, profitable career. If everyone is stressed all of the time, productivity will suffer, and no one will be happy. The day your incentive trip arrives, take your stress and leave at home. Better yet, throw it in the trash.
#2. Thinking About Post-Vacation To-Do’s
Sometime during your heard-earned trip, your brain might wander to the inevitable return home…and all the to-do’s that await you there. Unfortunately, real life doesn’t go on hold while you’re enjoying yourself on vacation. Before you leave, make a resolution to not think about any of that while you’re away. You might have earned your incentive trip at work, but this trip is a reward. Don’t let work follow you to your vacation destination!
#3. Your Email-Checking Habit
It can be tempting to check your emails while you’re away, just as it can be tempting to check your phone every time someone calls, but stay away from your inbox (especially if it is work related)! You may be involved in group emails, and those emails won’t stop just because you’re not there. And if you see a work email, you may be tempted to read it and then respond. Then, you’re not focusing on your trip anymore, you’re back to focusing on work. Essentially, you telecommute from a location where fun things are going on all around you, and you wind up missing them. Just stay away from your inbox. The emails will be there for you to check when you get back.
#4. Social Media
Much like emails, it can be very tempting to browse social media while you’re away. You may also be tempted to post daily pictures of your adventures. Don’t do it. It’s very easy to get sucked into social media and read all about what is going on at home, whether it’s a picture of your friend’s child or a political news article. And, if you’re busy posting photos, you never really get to fully immerse yourself in your trip and enjoy what you’re doing. Unplug for the duration of your trip. It’s not going to destroy your friendship if you don’t comment on the picture of your best friend’s daughter the moment he or she posts it. As far as your pictures go, take them, but don’t worry about posting them until you get home.
You’ve earned your incentive trip. Don’t get sucked into things going on back home at work; you’ll never enjoy yourself that way! You’ve left the office in good hands, and work will be there when you get home. There’s a pretty good chance that the business will be much better off with relaxed, well rested, happy employees than with ones who obsessed their whole trip and didn’t have a good time. Go. Have some fun. You deserve it. And if you need help with anything for your incentive trip, from booking excursions to finding the hottest places to grab a bite to eat, MTI Events is here for you. Contact us today!
