experience matters

Scott Shamberg | Critical Mass Executive

I never used to think or care much about taking a vacation.  It was always the wrong time or I didn’t feel like spending the money. Or maybe I was still shaken by seeing a grown man in a Speedo thong on a cruise once. That’s tough to get past. Thankfully my wife enjoys a vacation as much as the next person–maybe more–and since we’ve had kids I am much better at saying, “Yes, yes I would like to take a break”. But it’s just not as simple as that anymore, is it?

At a time when the term “tele-commuting” is part of the every day vernacular, it is almost impossible to completely disconnect. I’m on the train right now and 75% of the people around me are on a notebook, phone, iPad or other device working. Two people are reading the newspaper (yeah, that industry is in a bit of trouble!) and everyone else is asleep. The truth is you can work anywhere. Just this week, someone who works for me left for a trip to the Grand Canyon. About four day before she left she asked if she could have a wireless card to take with her. “So, you are going to be at the bottom of one of the biggest holes in the Earth, most likely on a pack mule, and you are going to be checking email?” Her answer was, “Well, maybe not while I’m on the mule.” In her mind, it would be easier to check in every once in a while than to come back to a mountain of work.

I agree with that. It’s no fun to get back on Monday and have projects that you have to get to but before you get to it you have to go through 500 emails (this is especially true if you are OCD about your in-box, as I am). Earlier this year I took a vacation to Mexico. I brought my laptop and my phone with me but made a commitment to myself that I would not check email the entire time I was gone. While I did talk to the office a couple of times, I never checked email. I found that I was more relaxed than other trips when I would check first thing in the morning and try to empty the inbox.

An article in the WSJ this week talked about how many people find it hard to relax on a vacation because they are thinking about all the work they are neglecting or all the emails they will have when they get back. The article also states that 49% of employers expect employees to check in while they are away.  So is it the individual or his/her boss who is setting the expectation? The article included a quiz to determine what level of workaholic you may be. Go ahead and take it and comment here as to where you place.

I’m no shrink, but my belief is that given the on-demand nature of careers today, it is up to us as individuals to balance work and life. There is a connectivity expectation but if you can commit to disconnecting a couple times per year I think you will be better for it in the long run.

Scott is the SVP of our Experience Distribution practice and a part of the Executive Team, working from our Chicago office.