I tried to take a week away from Startup life, and failed.
I’ve just got back from a week off. I’m no grammar expert, but the word off should have some inverted commas.
My preparation was complete:
- Packing, check
- Passport, double check
- Out of office, check
- Cover all business critical tasks, check
- Delegate anything else, check
And as I set off to the airport I felt quietly confident that for the next week I’d be sipping sangria and enjoying my first break in 2 years.
I was wrong. And there’s only one person to blame!
Switching off is hard, especially if it’s a startup or business you’ve spent a long period building up. Here’s a few tips based on the parallel universe I should have been living in.
The obvious- email
You’ve probably got your emails installed on your phone. As soon as my plane touched down and I heard the “you may now switch on your mobile devices” announcement I happily did the same. A flash of emails was an instant greeting, and my first step towards a working vacation.
Setting an out of office is a must. And it’s great. But only if you use it.
Tip: Use an out of office. If you must check emails, do it at set times of the day, not on notification / any ‘free’ moment.
The personal decision- laptop
Before I left I toyed with the idea of leaving my laptop behind. But (yes I recognise someone with the right excuses will always be looking for a but) emails late the night before departure made it clear there’d be important work for me to do whilst I was away. A startup is your baby, you can’t leave it all alone?!
Leaving behind the laptop is a big call. It’s one I don’t have the right answer to. All I know is it’s one I’m not prepared to take.
Tip: Do what’s right for you. If you are going to do work whilst away, do it the same time as the emails. Commit to a fixed amount of time to work (say a couple of hours in the morning) so your trip isn’t pressured by work you feel you need to do.
The dream - mindfulness
A flow of emails and an available laptop lead to an inevitable path…being away from the present.
The email you read before breakfast? The call that brought more questions before your sightseeing trip? The work you started but couldn’t finish in time for dinner?
All take you away from being in the present. Your mind is on work, not on spending time in new surroundings or with loved ones.
Sadly, I’m no mindfulness or meditation expert. So my tips are somewhat limited here, despite my suggestions on limiting technology, to an app!!
Tip: Take time to be present. Enjoy the moment. Download an app to practice mindfulness (or even better, learn it properly!).
Nothing in the above is new. But a reminder from someone who’s just (re) learnt the hard way. Here’s to you enjoying your time away!