I just returned from a week in the Adirondack mountains on our annual family vacation. I won’t take the time to mention how many ways we love going back to th
e same place year after year, or how the other families that do the same are like relatives to us, or how the scenery never fails to stop us in our tracks.
What I do want to share is how valuable it is to walk away from work on a regular basis, and how it will help you to be more effective at work. Our camp in the Adirondacks is about a half hour away from reliable cell service and an internet signal. It talks a Herculean effort to check emails or make a call, so as the week goes on, it becomes very easy to stop thinking about work.
I did bring a book with me -The ONE thing- by Gary Keller. I spent a bit of time every morning reading it and my brain was empty enough that I had time to absorb it and keep it in the back of my mind while I was hiking and kayaking. Freeing yourself from the daily routine allows your mind to actually think big thoughts and solve some problems that might have seemed very difficult before you left on vacation. I will write more about this book in a future post, but taking the time to read is a perfect way to spend some of your vacation time.
Americans are famous for our workaholic tendencies. We don’t take all our vacation, and we look at other countries with jealousy when we see that they have months worth of holidays. In fact, our country’s national tourism office, U.S. Travel, has recognized this problem and has a marketing campaign that shows the benefits of taking regular vacations, and the toll exacted when you don’t.
I am a firm believer in taking all your vacation and encouraging your staff to do the same. Keeping your nose to the grindstone and veering toward burn out is not an effective work strategy. I recommend blocking time on your calendar at the beginning of the year and protecting that time. Sit with your staff and help them do the same. You will be seen as a good manager when you look out for your staff.
A few weeks before your planned vacation, meet with your staff and assign them specific tasks to keep an eye on in your absence. Set up your out of office response email and give at least one name with contact information for immediate needs. If you write that you will not be checking emails, then don’t. What I have realized is that many of my daily emails are industry updates that can be ignored, and that many issues can be solved by others on the email chain. Believe it or not, we are not indispensable!
There are many studies out there that show how valuable vacations are to relationships, physical health and general well-being. I am here to tell you it will work wonders with your business success as well.