On most days, I adore the flexibility that comes with being an entrepreneur. My only caveat is that entrepreneurship rarely comes with structured time off. With vacations having a pivotal role in production and creativity, I have found that making time for getaways is essential for me to maintain the balance and momentum needed in all areas of my life. As fab as it can be to put life on airplane mode during a dedicated week of indulging your wanderlust side, I’ve come to realize that unplugged vacations are not for everyone. Being overwhelmed with the idea of coming back to a mound of unanswered emails is what fuels my decision to unapologetically work differently while on vacation.
My travel squad quickly found this out during our sojourn to India. A friend’s boyfriend had invited her and a few of her gal pals to attend his sister’s wedding a few miles south of Hyderabad, India’s 6th largest populated city. The humid air was thick and unforgiving as our driver navigated through the crowded streets to the Golconda Fort a few miles outside of the city. The sun beamed down as beads of sweat relentlessly formed just below my hairline with each stride up the 365-step climb to the former diamond trading center that was once the capital of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. As a frizz puff begin to slowly began to unravel on the top of my head, my thoughts drifted beyond the ruins to a period when India had the only known diamond mines in the world. I tried to imagine the work that went into building the massive vault where the region’s famous diamonds were once stored and how those diamonds contributed to that region’s legacy.
At wedding with friends.
While I was excited about the opportunity to attend a traditional Indian wedding and all of the wonderful festivities leading up to the nuptials, my decision to periodically check my inbox was tied into the blueprint that I had set for the legacy that I was building. Strategically planning and organizing my to-do list enabled me to work ahead prior to leaving for India, but I had several projects that I was overseeing and couldn’t afford to totally unplug for more than 2 days at a time. Knowing that I wouldn’t be able to relax if I was completely unplugged for 7 days, I used time blocking on select days abroad. Being an early riser combined with the time difference; I was able to carve out time in the morning, before everyone was awake, to peruse emails and take a couple calls while watching a serene sunrise in the land of mystery and rich diversity.
This enabled me to not only reduce stress and save time on the back end, but I was able to wrap things up just in time to enjoy conversations over massive family feasts of delicious delights in the days leading up to the main event, soak up all of the magic surrounding the Taj Mahal’s beautiful white marble and semi-precious stones, and live in-the-moment as I perused local markets without the distractions of work looming over me.
The next time you get annoyed when a friend decides to pull out their iPad for an hour while you layout or read by the pool, remember that how each person chooses to balance work and vacation boils down to their own self-awareness about what works for them. What works for them may not work for you and that’s okay too.
“My goal is to build a life that I don’t need to vacation from.” - unknown