Greensboring.com - Outside The Media. Beyond The News. Greensboro, NC.

Over the past couple of days, I've encountered a couple of notions regarding vacations that were frankly alien to me.

First, I read in the News & Record that studies have been done to verify that taking regular vacations are good for the heart. Not a surprise there... but apparently, the study compared people who take at least 2 weeks per year as opposed to people who take one week or less every six years. I seriously have a hard time imagining that. Even in the darkest, most debt-ridden days of my years in the wilderness after graduation, I ALWAYS had a job that gave me a week off every year. And I bloody well took my time off, even if all I could do was stay home and do a day trip to Pilot Mountain.

Second, there apparently are some poor souls who have trouble leaving their work behind when they vacate. This actually happened to my wife last year -- a manager called her while we were standing in line at Disney's Animal Kingdom park... to ask her where he might find some trash bags. Needless to say, she has not activated her phone while on vacation ever since then.

But seriously, who goes on a trip and keeps in contact with work? It seems to me that if you feel the need to "stay in touch" you over-estimate your importance to your company. The world will keep rolling without you for a week, at least. It always has when I've gone away.

Well this blog serves sort of my work... (and love) and I often check in.... but as far as my "real" job.... "aw, hell no!"

I work some every year when I'm on vacation. In fact, I'm on vacation this week right now in TN and worked for 3 hours yesterday using my Verizon Wireless card in the comfort of my cabin nestled on the top of a remote mountain ridge. I guess I over-estimate my impotance to my company.

Actually there are some ongoing company-critical projects that my project team need my input/advice and it is necessary for them to be in touch with me right now. Some people mind. But, I typically don't. When I don't want to be disturbed I put the blackberry on vibrate and check the voicemails/emails later at my convenience.

BecauseHeLives wrote: I guess I over-estimate my impotance to my company.

I sure HOPE you have.

Actually there are some ongoing company-critical projects that my project team need my input/advice and it is necessary for them to be in touch with me right now.

Yeah, that happens on occasion. But it's the poor dopes that keep the contacts available every time, with no real work emergencies on the table that puzzle me the most.

If I'm on vacation, I don't check work voicemail or email. However, I will take "emergency" calls, which rarely happens. When I was on leave from work when my son was born, I was at a different job than the one I have now. Our first day home from the hospital, one of my bank tellers called for assistance with a task. We stayed on the phone for an hour. After that I was a lot more selective about the calls I would take when I was out of the office. I had to get used to being out of the office and having messes to clean up when I returned rather than using my personal time to prevent them. That was also a lesson about my boss... the muddafraka had no appreciation for what I did. Yet another reason to not waste my personal time on work.

SouthernFriedInfidel wrote:

BecauseHeLives wrote: I guess I over-estimate my impotance to my company.

I sure HOPE you have.

Actually there are some ongoing company-critical projects that my project team need my input/advice and it is necessary for them to be in touch with me right now.

Yeah, that happens on occasion. But it's the poor dopes that keep the contacts available every time, with no real work emergencies on the table that puzzle me the most.

Yeah... occasionally there are "dopey" calles (like the one your wife had). I actually get more dopey emails than anything. Even when they get the Outlook out of office respponse they continue to follow up on them.

Funny Story here....but TRUE. One year recently I went to a comdy show (about 5,000 in attendence) and before the show the emcee makes sure that everyone has their cell phones off. Well at intermission I go to the lobby and check my email and forget to turn my phone off. During the last part of the show I was volunteered by my family and a bunch of other people I didn't even know to "assist" one of the comedians on stage. Long story short while on stage my phone goes off (fella from work). Luckily the phone is in my pocket and I "think" only I heard it. I reached into my pocket very slyly and turn it off.

SouthernFriedInfidel wrote:. but apparently, the study compared people who take at least 2 weeks per year as opposed to people who take one week or less every six years. I seriously have a hard time imagining that <snip>.
Second, there apparently are some poor souls who have trouble leaving their work behind when they vacate.

Count me in both those categories. I haven't taken a week vacation in ... a while.. A day trip doesn't count, mate. When I am away for a day, I am connected at the hip with my Blackberry and am never truly 'away'.

Sanjuro wrote:Count me in both those categories. I haven't taken a week vacation in ... a while.. A day trip doesn't count, mate. When I am away for a day, I am connected at the hip with my Blackberry and am never truly 'away'.

I know you spent a lot of your time off from work last year on a "busman's holiday" -- but you still managed to have a pretty good time, from what I heard.

What you need, mon, is a lieutenant. Check the budget, see if you can't hire one or two.