Our Guide to Switching to Holiday Mode using an Out Of Office Reply
- TeamTony
- Dec 2, 2025
- 3 min read
The festive season is the perfect time to step back, reset, and return to your work with clarity. A properly set out of office reply keeps your business professional while you take real time away. It sets expectations, reduces pressure, and allows you to switch off without worrying about unanswered emails.
This guide shows you how to prepare your business for a smooth digital shutdown and set your out of office replies across the most commonly used email platforms.
Preparing Your Business to Switch Off
1. Let Clients Know in Advance
Send a closure notice at least one week before. This allows people to plan and reduces last minute rush requests.
2. Define What Is Truly Urgent
Be clear and consistent. If everything is urgent, nothing is.
Examples of genuine emergencies:
• Website or server outages
• Payment problems blocking sales
• Security issues
• Live systems going down
Design work, feedback cycles, and new project ideas can wait.
3. Set up your Automated Out Of Office Response
See the steps detailed below.
4. Pause Without Guilt
Switching off does not weaken your business. It strengthens it.
Rest allows better decision-making and sharper thinking when you return.
Why Your Out of Office Reply Is Important
An effective out of office message:
• Protects your personal time
• Manages expectations clearly
• Keeps client relationships professional
• Reduces follow-ups and frustration
• Prevents miscommunication
What a Good Out of Office Message Should Say
Your reply should be calm, direct, and professional.
Include:
• The date you are signing off
• When you will return
• Whether messages are monitored
• What qualifies as urgent (can also be communicated upfront with your client)
• Who to contact if necessary
Example of a good Out of Office Reply
Hello Thank you for your message. We will be closed from 11 December and will return on 7 January 2026. Direct any urgent requests to our WhatsApp number available below. Our emails will not be monitored. During this period, responses may take up to three business days and only urgent matters will be reviewed and responded to. All non urgent requests will be attended to once we reopen in January. Project timelines will continue from our return date. We look forward to connecting in the new year.
How to Set Your Out of Office Reply
Below are step-by-step instructions for the most common systems.
Outlook for Windows
Open Outlook
Click File
Choose Automatic Replies
Turn on Automatic Replies
Add your message
Set your date range if needed
Click OK
Outlook for Mac
Open Outlook
Click Tools in the top menu
Select Automatic Replies
Turn it on
Enter your message
Set dates if needed
Save
Outlook for Web (Office 365)
Many teams use Outlook in a browser rather than the desktop app.
Go to outlook.office.com
Click the Settings icon
Select View all Outlook settings
Open Mail > Automatic replies
Turn automatic replies on
Schedule if required
Add your message
Save
Gmail and Google Workspace
Go to Gmail
Click Settings
Select See all settings
Scroll to Vacation Responder
Turn it on
Set dates
Enter your subject and message
Save changes
This works even when you are fully offline.
Apple iCloud Mail
Visit icloud.com
Open Mail
Click the Settings icon
Select Vacation Responder
Turn it on
Add your message
Save
Yahoo Mail
Go to mail.yahoo.com
Click Settings
Select More Settings
Click Vacation Response
Enable and add message
Save
Proton Mail
Open Proton Mail
Go to Settings
Select Auto Reply
Enable it
Add message
Save
Zoho Mail
Log into Zoho Mail
Open Settings
Choose Mail Accounts
Select your account
Enable Out of Office
Add message
Save
Final Thoughts
A good out of office reply is a boundary, delivered professionally.
Switch off with intention. Return with focus.
If you would like TeamTony to assist with:
• Writing your out of office reply
• Drafting a closure notice
• Updating your website banner
• Setting up WhatsApp auto replies
We’re happy to support you.
Wishing you a wonderful time off to rest, recharge and spend with loved ones.
