April 26, 2013 at 8:26 am
There's already so much posted that I'm not sure my thoughts will help, but...
1. I recently went on a cruise for a week and with data rates being about $1.20 per minute (that's the bulk rate) I was completely out of contact.
Everyone reading this should try it - I haven't been completely untethered in years.
In preparation: I had two meetings scheduled for my whole group so they all knew what my responsibilities are - and I had my manager make it a mandatory in-person on-site for the whole group.
My director came by to give me a "Good job!" because of this.
2. Either return on Saturday or take Monday off. Getting back from vacation unloading the car at night then getting up in the morning is a bad plan - you don't feel rested that way.
You should feel rested when you return from vacation. (And I have a smart energetic three year old, so that's difficult enough!)
3. Optimally you should take Monday off anyway.
If Monday is a holiday take Tuesday off.
It just seems to throw people off - they think you're getting back after the weekend so it can wait for you Monday - then they realize you aren't there and THEY have to handle it.
( And yes, they knew my schedule weeks in advance ) 🙂
FWIW,
-Chris C.
April 26, 2013 at 9:53 am
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (6/13/2008)
Good to see that lots of people need to take their vacation, but I'm wondering for those of you that didn't answer, do you do extra work because of vacation?
Yes Steve, after over 40 years ijn the field I learned there is work to do before and after a vacation. The work before is to delegate what needs to be done while I am out, and the work after is to be briefed on what happened and what is next. While out, I am out.
M.
Not all gray hairs are Dinosaurs!
April 26, 2013 at 3:04 pm
Work to Live. Do the best you possibly can while working. Then take your earned and deserved time off.
Never Live to Work. ON your death bed you will have one big regret; NOT spending enough time with those you love.
April 29, 2013 at 6:10 am
Perfect timing. I have two weeks to work before leaving on a golf trip. I detest electronics on the golf course - even those supposedly designed to improve my game - so I will leave my "smart" phone behind.
April 29, 2013 at 7:31 am
For years I took my vacation at the Pennsic War. A week or ten days in the Middle Ages, no cell phone, no computer, just battles and parties and a glimpse of Valhalla. Several years ago a company called Mystic Mail established a sort of cyber-cafe in the food court area, so those who had to check in with work or pay bills could still get away.
Ok, I told myself, I can check the banking, ensure there are no emergency e-mails, and get back to my vacation...
Sure.
The sad reality is, Mystic Mail makes Pennsic possible for a lot of us, because if we couldn't be available to work, we couldn't get the time off. But it does detract from the brain rest that the War used to be.
Time was I would measure how long I'd been there by how often I found myself designing code in my head. Day 1--still working...Day 3--not quite able to remember the requirements...Day 5--not quite able to remember what a database is...Day 7--what is this code? Some manner of cipher? Day 9--weary, rested, and ready to get back to it, having thought only of how to flank the opposing army in the Woods Battle or how to find the camp hosting the Men Without Pants party...
Alas...
April 29, 2013 at 7:40 am
At the company I was, a few days before I went in holiday , I inform the stuff about the current status of the projects , any special needs ... ( a brief inform ; no one especially designated to be a backup person)
In holiday, the manager never call me; he put my colleges (I consider friends) to call me , because I can't
refuse them , if it's an urgent need.So I answer and through phone I guide them.(if I have my cell phone at me)
Now i work in anther company, where all are taking holiday , in the same time.Every body happy :w00t:
S
April 29, 2013 at 8:12 am
If the software/database is not launching the shuttle, or life and limb is not dependent on it, then it can wait until I get back. End of story. I also agree wholeheartedly with GandhiDBA's comment about "if you are working in any midsize+ organisation and you come back to any significant amount of work then you need to take a good long look at your colleagues and work out exactly what they do..." I couldn't have said it better... It's ratjher unfortunate in this industry that you tend to have 20% of your staff doing about 80% of the work. Most of the others are "deadwood" attending a lot of meetings and not doing a whole heck of a lot else, besides nosing up to the bosses. How they keep their jobs is beyond me at times, but then again, on second thought maybe it's not.:-D
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
April 29, 2013 at 7:03 pm
We are forced to take all the 2+ months leave.
But I'm in Australia, so things are quite different here - we even have a socialist government (Labor one)! 😀
April 30, 2013 at 7:25 am
I tend to take several mini-vacations a year, like a four day weekends to section hike the Apppalachian trail or immerse myself in a home improvement project.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
Viewing 9 posts - 76 through 83 (of 83 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply