Question: I always say I’m so busy, but how do I manage to go on vacations throughout the year?
I’ve always seen myself as a productive person, but I see myself as even more productive the week before and after any vacation. Somehow I do all I have to do that week before to make sure things go smoothly while I’m gone. All of my productivity skills kick in and I become super efficient. I delegate whatever work I can and reschedule anything that was supposed to happen on vacation week. Then I come back from vacation and work extra hard that next week to get caught up. The following week (two weeks after vacation) is when things become a little more normal.Does any of this happen to you? Why not take some time, two weeks after vacation, to analyze how you worked so efficiently the week before and after your vacation. You might want to use a form from my book PerfectTIMING. It’s called the SCAN PLAN. Ask yourself what went right, what went wrong and what should change? This template, which is available in the book or on my website (impactbydan.com) could help you dramatically improve how you handle vacations and any day at work.My contention is that if you carefully analyze the productivity methods you used the weeks before and after vacation, you would see how you could be operating every day—not just because there is a vacation coming up.Many times that week of vacation helps us approach things in a little differently when we come back. Take note of how you operate. When you are on vacation your mind has a chance to rest, and sometimes you gain new insights from visiting new places or just seeing your office and its operations a little differently. Your new way of doing things may be even better. I’ve even added processes that I didn’t do before. Now you’re working smarter!So when is your next vacation? If you say you don’t know, think again. You know you need this time off to refresh and become a better you.
