The Easiest Hack for More Relaxing Vacations: Replace Your Bland OOO Message With a Personal Note

With Memorial Day just a couple weeks away, the season to daydream about upcoming vacations is upon us. Many of us are spending time researching destinations, planning activities, or just imagining ourselves on a tropical beach these days. 

But according to at least one entrepreneur, there’s one other small item to add to your pre-vacation checklist: Spend some time composing an actual, human note for your OOO message. It’s a small change that makes for a more restful holiday and happier return. 

Swap your bland OOO for a human note 

Inbox Collective founder Dan Oshinsky used to write bland, utilitarian out-of-office messages when he went on vacation, just like everyone else — like “I’m out of the office this week. Please contact so-and-so if you’ve got an urgent request.”

But as he explained on LinkedIn recently, when he became a solo founder, he had no one else to direct people to when he was away. Rather than spending half of his time away answering emails, Oshinsky came up with a simple but inspired solution. He wrote an actually human note about where he was and what he was doing. One example looked like this:

Hi! I’m off this week — my wife, son and I are down in the Caribbean at the beach. We found a hotel with all-day child care, and honestly, I don’t even care about the food or the weather — just the fact that someone else will be keeping tabs on my kid so that I can take a nap in the middle of the day! 

Anyway, I’ll be a little slow to respond to emails until I am back at the office next week! Apologies in advance for the delayed reply! 

Thanks! 

Dan  

This seems like a cheery little message, but according to Oshinsky, getting just a little personal with his OOO message actually produced significant benefits both while he was away and when he returned to work. 

Better boundaries, better relationships, better vacations  

First, “people actually write back to your OOO — Some will wish you a nice trip or mention that they’re planning on doing something similar soon. I even got questions about the hotel and the quality of the child care!” Oshinky reports. (He gives the Club Med where he was staying two thumbs up.) 

That’s of course a nice dose of human connection in a world that can be notoriously lonely. Research shows that even tiny scraps of friendly conversation can make us surprisingly happier. Plus, it’s not bad for relationship-building with your clients and co-workers either. 

“Anytime I take time off, my clients see my OOO and then ask about the trip. It’s a friendly little thing, and those are the kind of moments that make me feel even more connected to the people I get to work with,” claims Oshinky. 

Perhaps more important, a friendlier, more forthcoming OOO message also makes it less likely people will interrupt your vacation unless they really have to. Because of his more personal notes, Oshinky notes, “people who had something that was ‘urgent’ realize that their request isn’t all that urgent.” 

Taking off the corporate mask and reminding those around you of the person underneath isn’t just good for genuine connection. It’s also good for empathy and boundary-setting. It’s easier to bother a key supplier who is “away from their desk” than it is to bother an exhausted parent who is enjoying a much-needed recharge. 

Oshinsky closes with a little bit of advice for those heading off for a holiday this year and hoping to disconnect as much as possible: In your OOO, tell people where you’re going, show a little personality, and set expectations of when you’re likely to reply.

This more human approach to out-of-office messages can make for a happier, more restful vacation season for all of us.