Before You Leave, Ask Yourself…
📋 Project Status
☐ Is the overall project status up to date?
☐ Have I documented the current project phase?
☐ Are upcoming milestones clearly identified?
☐ Have I updated the project schedule?
✅ Action Items
☐ Have all outstanding action items been documented?
☐ Is every action item assigned to an owner?
☐ Are due dates included?
☐ Have I identified high-priority tasks?
⚠️ Risks & Issues
☐ Have I documented all current project risks?
☐ Are active issues explained with next steps?
☐ Have I included mitigation plans?
☐ Does my backup know which risks require immediate attention?
👥 Customer Communication
☐ Have I informed the customer of my vacation dates?
☐ Have I introduced my backup contact?
☐ Does the customer know who to contact for urgent questions?
☐ Have I communicated any important upcoming decisions?
📅 Meetings
☐ Have I shared all recurring meeting invitations?
☐ Have I prepared meeting agendas?
☐ Does my backup understand the purpose of each meeting?
☐ Have I highlighted expected decisions or discussion points?
📊 Status Reporting
☐ Have I prepared the next project status report template?
☐ Are project metrics current?
☐ Have I summarized this week’s accomplishments?
☐ Have I listed priorities for next week?
📂 Documentation
☐ Are project documents organized and easy to find?
☐ Are meeting notes current?
☐ Have I documented recent decisions?
☐ Can someone quickly understand the project’s current state?
🚨 Escalation Plan
☐ Does my backup know who to contact for technical issues?
☐ Do they know who approves scope or budget changes?
☐ Are emergency contacts available?
☐ Have I defined what constitutes an urgent issue?
🤝 Team Handover
☐ Have I met with my backup to walk through the project?
☐ Have I answered any outstanding questions?
☐ Does my backup feel comfortable taking over?
☐ Have I shared any lessons learned or helpful context?
Before You Turn On Your Out-of-Office Reply…
Ask yourself one final question:
“If I couldn’t be reached for the next two weeks, could this project continue successfully?”
If the answer is yes, you’ve done more than prepare for a vacation—you’ve demonstrated effective project leadership.
The best project managers don’t create dependency.
They create confidence.
Enjoy your time off. Your project is in good hands.
