How do you document your workflows before going on maternity leave or a long sabbatical?
Document workflows before leave by recording your actual daily and weekly tasks for two weeks, converting recordings into step-by-step SOPs, assigning each task to a specific backup person, and conducting practice runs before your departure. Start documentation at least four weeks before leave — not the final week.
What is the timeline for pre-leave documentation?
| Week | Action |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks out | List every task you own. Categorize: daily, weekly, monthly, ad-hoc. |
| 3 weeks out | Record yourself performing each task using Glyde. Generate SOPs. |
| 2 weeks out | Assign backup owners. Share SOPs. Each backup reviews their assigned tasks. |
| 1 week out | Backup owners perform tasks independently. Document questions and edge cases. |
| Final day | Quick sync on open items, active projects, and "things that might break." |
What should the documentation cover beyond step-by-step processes?
SOPs for individual tasks are necessary but not sufficient. Your coverage documentation should also include:
- Active projects — Current status, next milestones, key stakeholders to keep informed
- Recurring meetings — Which ones the backup should attend, which can be skipped
- Decision authority — What the backup can decide independently vs. what should wait for your return
- Escalation contacts — Who to call when something goes wrong
- Calendar of deadlines — Monthly reports, vendor renewals, quarterly reviews
The most common mistake: documenting the routine and forgetting the exceptions. Spend time on "what to do when X goes wrong" scenarios. These edge cases are where backup coverage fails most often.
Create a single handover page that links to all SOPs, project docs, and contact lists. This page is the backup person's home base for the duration of your leave.
This answer is part of our guide to capturing and preserving team knowledge.