Traditional Vacation Is Dead. Long Live Vacation | Fast Company: "Here are 3 tips for working smarter when you're away, so you can stay on top of your business--and enjoy yourself and your family, too.
"The business world is abuzz with trend stories about unlimited vacation time. At Netflix, for example, they abolished their policy in 2004 and instead allow employees to take vacation whenever they need time (and as long as they get their work done). Gilt Groupe, a fashion-oriented deals site, offers up a similar policy, a sure way to attract talent in the competitive tech space.
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"The business world is abuzz with trend stories about unlimited vacation time. At Netflix, for example, they abolished their policy in 2004 and instead allow employees to take vacation whenever they need time (and as long as they get their work done). Gilt Groupe, a fashion-oriented deals site, offers up a similar policy, a sure way to attract talent in the competitive tech space.
However, thanks (or no thanks) to handheld devices and widespread Internet access, the reality is that for many workers it's hard to turn off. According to a recent Good Technology survey, 57 percent of respondents checked work emails on family outings. This is particularly true for entrepreneurs, like myself, who run small businesses.
I recently spent a couple of weeks visiting family on Prince Edward Island, once known amicably as the Garden of the Gulf. This tiny province is the perfect place for young kids to frolic in safe seas and for adults to disconnect from busy urban lives. For me, each summer when I visit, I continue to run my business, but it's taken me 10 years to figure out how to do so without jeopardizing quality time with my husband, three-year-old son, and dozens of family members.
Often time I see Moms and Dads working on holiday, and I cringe as I watch parents pound away on a BlackBerry (yes, they still have those) while a toddler is at risk of going under in a splash pad or a school-aged child is wandering too close to a busy road. What I see here is a clear example of professionals aiming to work harder, but they've failed entirely when it comes to working smarter.
While I'd love to turn off my email for two weeks, avoiding Twitter and Facebook messages in the process, the reality is that as an entrepreneur I am consistently fueled by the possibility of new opportunities. This means I need to be connected, but I don't need to be connected every hour of the day. I can rely on help from my team, but they can't possibly understand the context of every single digital message.
Here are some ways to work smarter when you're away, so you can stay on top of your business without ticking your family off (or putting your kids in danger, for that matter).
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