Disconnecting Completely While On Vacation?

vonsneerderhooten asks: "This summer, I took a week-long vacation, left my cell phone at home and enjoyed the liberation of being completely disconnected from the (working) world. Recently, I came upon an article stating that many people don't take vacations longer than a long weekend. Worse still, a majority are worrying about work, calling the office and checking e-mail. How far removed are you when on vacation? To what lengths will you go to make yourself (un)available?"

Comments

Weekends aren't vacations.

[dada21]

When I think of vacations, I think of vacating -- leaving something empty of... me! A weekend trip is not a vacation; it takes me about 24 hours after landing to fully appreciate that I've left. It takes me 24 hours before the take-off flight to mentally prepare myself for returning. That means 48 hours is the prep time each way, at least in my experience. I need at least 10 days to truly appreciate a vacation -- and that means no cell phone, e-mail or web.

I take trips all the time, at least 2-3 trips a month. I always take my cell and PDA with me, but I usually leave the web behind. If I am taking a short trip, it is non-web business related, and I write off as much as legally possible. But if I start jumping online, that business trip becomes inefficient for me, and I don't get my work done, so even with a write-off it is still a financial loss.

I can not imagine NOT taking 2-3 weeks off each quarter for a real vacation. What prevents people from doing that? I hear it from friends who are overworked (usually because they are over-indebted): they can't leave because they'll miss something important at work. I never heard of this before because I always make sure that my future replacement in my position is trained for handling any emergencies when I am gone. I guess too many people are too protective of their position -- this usually means they see the future as a dead end or they see their abilities as plateaud. In this case, not taking a vacation really means they are just trying to hold ground.

I can't think of a single project that my expertise is needed on for the entire project, or even 50% of it. If you are good at handling emergencies, people will pay you just to be around holding their hand during non-emergencies. This is the opposite of expendable, and it also opens up your schedule for vacations -- real ones.

If your life doesn't allow for it, what are you doing even bothering to live? What is so important that a vacation would create a risk/reward ratio that is out of whack? For many, I think you have to look at lifestyle -- is your house so big that being out of work for one year will hurt you? Sell it. Are your monthly expenses so big that you can't pay them for 24 months with zero income? Sell things and learn to cut expenses. Is your budget so tight that when you do have time to take off, you have to pay for the trip on credit cards and it'll take 3-10 years of future income to cover your trip? start prioritizing what is important.

If I don't get 2-3 weeks of downtime each quarter, I am not efficient. Also, being away from work lets my customers know how much they need me when there ARE problems. The risk/reward ratio is very small -- little risk, and a huge reward from both sides: I'm personally rewarded by downtime, and I'm also rewarded if an emergency happens that I would be best at solving.

Life is way too short to focus only on working and buying a bigger house and a bigger car and a bigger TV or video game system. Even just 3 weeks a year of downtime is barely over 6% of the year -- a very meager idea of vacationing. Then again, I think many people give 10% to God, 30% to their employer, 4% to family, 6% to themselves and 50% to the State. I guess there's the prime problem.

Re:Weekends aren't vacations.

[denebian devil]

I can not imagine NOT taking 2-3 weeks off each quarter for a real vacation. What prevents people from doing that? I hear it from friends who are overworked (usually because they are over-indebted): they can't leave because they'll miss something important at work. I never heard of this before because I always make sure that my future replacement in my position is trained for handling any emergencies when I am gone. I guess too many people are too protective of their position -- this usually means they see the future as a dead end or they see their abilities as plateaud. In this case, not taking a vacation really means they are just trying to hold ground.

I think what usually prevents people from doing that is that most people do not receive 50 vacation days per year, which is what would approximately be required to take four 2-3 week vacations every year. Most people don't even get half that number of days, especially not until they either a) reach the upper echelons, or b) work at the same company for years/decades.

Lucky you!

Re:Weekends aren't vacations.

[gigne]

If your life doesn't allow for it, what are you doing even bothering to live?

Thanks for the encouragement, please excuse me while I hang myself.

Are your monthly expenses so big that you can't pay them for 24 months with zero income?

Is this the fabled 2 year buffer in the bank account? I don't know any one person who doesn't have to work the arse off to make enough money to live. I agree that some people spend more money than needed on non essential items, but competition in the market is so great that even cutting those out (internet/tv/phone) makes little difference. If I got rid of non-essentials, I would cut my (admittedly higher than average) income by little more than £100/m That would take me approx 18 years to make that two year buffer.

There are some eye opening statistics here http://www.poverty.org.uk/summary/key_facts.htm

Unless you earn the top brass money, you have to live as the cash flows in.

Back on topic... The above is related. People put so much emphasis on work because it is their lifeline to living. If you can afford to let your work ethic slip, then you either don't care about income, or are too rich to worry. When I go away I have to at least check my phone messages once a day, even with the trained monkey in my place things can still go wrong. It's a tragic fact of society that things need to be fixed yesterday, unfortunately this seeps into holiday time.

My 2p

Re:Weekends aren't vacations.

[duffbeer703]

The problem is systematic mismanagement. In today's world, if you're not fighting a fire, you're a slacker that needs to be removed. Most corporate-type employees live in a world a paranoia, fear and incompetence. Concepts like cross-training and delegating work are signs of weakness to many. Looking busy and in the loop is more important than reality.

I take 6 weeks of vacation a year, and rarely check email on the weekends unless I'm on-call. When I'm out, other people take on some of my duties. When other people are out, I do the same.

Re:Weekends aren't vacations.

[bhima]

People make their own decisions:

    They choose to accept 2 weeks per year holiday.
    They choose to work in an environment which will not allow their absence.
    They choose to consume to such an extent they are required to work the amount they work.
    They choose to purchase these things on credit so they are indebted to a third party.

I'll be the first to say that the capitalist system is virtually designed to create this situation but it is by no means the only way to live your life... or even the most desirable or healthy.

Getting away from such things can be the fastest way to healthy and happy life style.

Myself, I get around 100 days per year off and I wouldn't want any other way.

Re: Weekends aren't vacations.

[Anonymous Coward]

Arrogance.

You assume that the way you live your life is better than the way anyone else lives their life, and you are so sure your way is optimal that you can't fathom anything else.

I could stop there, but you'd just shake your pointy head and cluck your tongue, so here is an example.

I actually *like* working. Shock shock horror horror shock shock horror, I know, but some people who work a lot do it because they enjoy it. It *isn't* all about the money, or vacation (just another form of compensation, but keep telling yourself you are so different), but rather about enjoying themselves.

That doesn't mean I am not well paid, it doesn't mean I don't get good vacation (too good, I have to visit the in-laws more than I like), it doesn't mean I don't have a personal life or a hobby (before children, that is). But it does mean that I don't tell people their life choices are shit just because they differ from mine. But hey, if arrogance works for you, fuck off and die.

Are none of you system administrators?

[greenmars]

Reading the comments here about turning off your cellphone, not checking email, etc., makes me wonder if there are any system administrators reading this thread.

My peace of mind is dependent on 16 servers in a server room. If all of those are working, then it's my executive director's wireless connection I have to worry about. In fact, anyone at work with a laptop is bound to have a network "problem" once a week, usually having to do with switching between home, hotel, work, etc.

Some day, I'll find a reliable "number two" person, but until then, it's 24-7. Real vacations are a distant memory -- 20 years ago during college summers.

Try no TV or Internet

[techstar25]

There is a little place I go to in upstate NY that is so nestled in the mountains that they can't get cable TV and don't get any broadcast TV stations either. Cell phones won't because there are no towers for miles. Most people don't bother with satellite because they are only there a few months per year. Imagine no TV and no internet. It's just me and my wife and a few board games, and some jigsaw puzzles, and of course the lake. Not only can you re-connect with your own soul, but you also get to re-connect with your spouse in a deeper way. It's also a great chance to catch up on a great book or two that's been collecting dust on the shelf. I highly recommend it.

You are not on vacation.

[camperdave]

You aren't on vacation. You're just telecommuting for two weeks. As a manager, you should have scheduled whatever projects you have on the go so that there was a two week period with no major milestones, or deadlines, etc. You should be able to delegate your responsibilities. If you can't do that then your manager has a problem on his or her hands: an employee who refuses to relax, refuses to delegate tasks, who thinks they are indispensable to the company, and who is working themselves into an early grave.

Force yourself to unplug for at least three days - no phone, no internet, no TV. Things aren't gong to fall apart if you're not in communication for three days. Go out into the Everglades and get some fresh air. Grab some family/friends and cook some s'mores and hotdogs over a campfire. Lie on the beach for an hour one night and just look at the stars. Go scuba diving or snorkeling. Since it is your Thanksgiving vacation, spend some time by yourself and write up a list of things that you are thankful for (pen and paper, no PDAs or laptops).

Re:My Honeymoon

[Anonymous Coward]

Reading your first few sentences, I was all ready to respond saying what a terrible waste of a trip to such a beautiful place.

I'm glad there ended up being a happy ending. You may very well have one of the best bosses in the world.

Go thank him right now, go ahead, I'll wait.

Outside of some romantic surprise, you souldn't be hiding anything from your wife on your honeymoon, ANYTHING. Your honeymoon is one time in your life that should be 100% about you and your wife, if you were spending your time sneaking off responding to emails, I'd have verry little home for your marriage. I'm glad you were able to learn to disconnect, and I'm hope you enjoyed your time with your wife all the more becasue of it.

Now, go thank your boss again.

I'm glad your company isn't a provider of mine ...

[debest]

.. because personally I wouldn't want to do business with an outfit that would fall apart because of the absence of a single employee. That is what would happen, isn't it? Your presence is critical to the operation of the business, and if a "problem" occured while you were unavailable, the entire operation would crumble. Right?

No? You mean that you would, in fact, be able to leave for a week and come back to find the building still occupied by employees, phones still ringing, sales still being made, etc.?

Face it: you're not THAT important. If you were hit by a bus, you'd be replaced. Business would continue without you. If they can replace you in that circumstance, they can figure out a way for you to have a vacation. The fact that they are not indicates you like never having a vacation (you're a control freak), or you don't like it and your "executive director" and his coworkers are abusive dicks for not allowing you to arrange vacation time.

Either way, your company is being very shortsighted, and cannot see that they are going to be sorry when you *do* stop working there (regarless of the circumstances of your departure). True, you're not irreplacable, but they're still going to be hurt by your not having an effective team under you.