Ahhh...Vacation!

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you got to enjoy some time away, if not geographically then at least from your office, desk, co-workers, in-box, email account, headmaster, etc. I’m writing to share a lesson I’ve already learned on my first day back in the office.

What I did this Christmas break that I’ve probably never done before in my career is truly and earnestly stepped away from work, mentally and physically. When in Canada I did not stop by the office and did not check my mail. I put an away message on my email and was (relatively) disciplined about ignoring it. And even when I did check it, I let about 99% of the messages go unanswered until last night or this morning.

So, into the office I strolled this morning with a certain cloud of dread hanging over my head. There are two immediate international trips to finalize, another the first week in February, and a big luncheon with the headmaster in mid-February to execute. And then there is the meeting with the chairman of the Board next Monday. GASP! What was I thinking doing nothing about all of these things for the last ten days??!!

So after saying hi to everyone, meeting briefly with the headmaster and catching up with my staff, I sat down to desk and email with a very specific “to do” list for the day. There were things that I was going to do today, come hell or high water, no matter how late I stayed.

Wasn’t there a previous marketing campaign of the U.S. Army that went something like, “We do more by 10am than you do all day”? Well, today I’m an army of one. What I set aside the day to hopefully accomplish I had done by lunchtime. This is work I had started and stopped before break with little to show for my efforts.

Amazing what some time away—mentally if not physically—can do to clear out the cobwebs, re-charge the batteries, and focus the mind. The world didn’t end because I ignored email for a week and the mountain of mail awaiting my arrival was hardly arduous. It’s a good lesson learned. I bet I got more accomplished this morning than I probably would have if I’d tried working halfheartedly on it over break.

Me: an army of one! Well, for today at least.