On Vacation

When I ask people what they enjoy most about being on vacation, I usually hear answers like "time with family" or "being at the beach".  But when I probe further, what frequently emerges is that folks are eager to "get away".

Get away from what?

It's getting away from the daily grind, the push to meet deadlines, fielding calls from demanding clients or coworkers, the challenge of getting kids out the door in the morning, or persuading them to do their homework.  "When I'm on vacation, I'm on my schedule."

Imagine if you didn't have to wait for vacation?

Imagine if you decided to be on your schedule all the time?  I'm not suggesting you ignore meetings, timelines and requests.  But there's a big difference between "I have to attend this meeting" and "I'm choosing to attend this meeting".  You'll spend that hour in the same physical place, but you're probably going to enjoy it more and contribute more if you bring the perspective "I chose to be here".

When I face a request that I initially don't want to accommodate, I see 3 options:

1. Say no, and communicate accordingly.
2. Say yes, and do whatever's necessary in my mind to embrace and look forward to the choice I've made.
3. Make a counter-offer.  "Here's what I can do, would this work for you?"

For me, being on my schedule means I recognize my responsibility for my time, and I make the choices (sometimes difficult or uncomfortable) to communicate like a person that values my time and attention.  It means I'm in charge.

You always have a choice. The question is whether you recognize how much power you have.

Whose schedule will you choose to be on?