The
website promises romance, adventure, a rock-bound coast, and soaring granite
cliffs. There will be stonewall-lined and tree-covered roads leading to the
village, sweeping vistas from atop Cadillac Mountain, and a special mystique
associated with the area. Since I have never been to Bar Harbor, Maine, I can
only hope the experience will match these enticing descriptions. Perhaps my
cynicism shows in that previous sentence, but I know how hard it usually is to
actually enjoy time off from work.
My
wife and I will already be settled into our cottage for rest and relaxation
when this blog is posted on July 15. My struggles with time off stem largely
from lifelong workaholic tendencies. I’m surely not the only leader whose
self-esteem is tied closely to work. It’s a battle I constantly wage with mixed
results. So what will I do on this trip to break away from the daily routines
of business?
I
will begin by abandoning my social media apps for the entire trip. No LinkedIn,
Facebook, or Twitter. This isn’t the first time I have tried this tactic and my
previous success during last year’s vacation has convinced me it can be done.
Any photos or comments about the trip will need to wait. This might actually be
harder on my friends and colleagues.
I’m
also limiting email access to twice a day (provided I have service at all). You
might wonder why I don’t give this up as well but I have learned it makes sense
to check messages every day. That doesn’t mean I will be responding to requests;
my clients already know I won’t be doing that. Instead, for a few minutes each
day I will be managing my workload in anticipation of that first day back on
the job.
Finally,
I hope to plan activities that serve as genuine distractions from my typical
business day. Things like reading for fun, hiking, shopping, and day trips so
my mind can disconnect from its usual routines. Perhaps this will be the most
difficult feat to accomplish because I’m sure I will see reminders of work
experiences every day and those email reviews will likely trigger work-related
thoughts. I’m counting heavily on the change of scenery to help with this.
The
need for time off is obvious. We are all working more hours and doing more
things. If you are a leader who can’t seem to disconnect perhaps my ideas will
help. I’m reasonably confident this vacation trip will serve its purpose as an
opportunity to refresh and reflect. The Bar Harbor website promises fond
lifetime memories. My successful implementation of these three strategies while
I’m vacationing there will hopefully be one of them.
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