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Make Every Week the Week before Vacation
by Karl Dumas
I love going on vacation – who doesn’t? Half of the fun is gearing up for it: making plans and getting things done. In fact, the week before vacation is often the most productive week of the year for me, and I bet the same is true for you. With that in mind, let’s explore how we manage our time when we know we’ll be gone for a week or two.
After every summer vacation I realize that it will likely be quite some time before my next vacation. However, every week is the week before vacation in my office. How is that possible? Why? Let me explain.
Imagine that next week you’ll be going on a two-week vacation to the middle of nowhere where there’s no Internet access, no cell phones, and absolutely no way the office can possibly reach you. What would you need to do to ensure that your office survives without you for two weeks? Most of us know the answer to that: you’d get busy! Starting on Monday, you would assess your assignments and prioritize your tasks to ensure that everything gets handled by the end of the week. You’d also communicate with your peers, vendors, and clients to let them know what to expect in your absence. Each day, you’d arrive at work with a purpose and you’d work diligently to accomplish your mission. When you leave the office on Friday afternoon, your desk will be clear, your assignments complete, and all of your important clients will have been contacted with the latest status reports. You’d pack your bags and enjoy your vacation knowing that you deserve it!
Now imagine what would happen if every workweek was as productive as the week before vacation. What if all of your assignments were complete and all clients were satisfied every Friday afternoon? What if you could arrive to work on Monday with a completely clean slate with no overdue or pressing projects the minute you clock in? By adopting a “week before vacation” mindset each week, the possibilities are endless! Imagine how many additional sales calls you could make if your schedule were clear at the beginning of the week.
The week before vacation is more than a mindset – it’s a time management plan. There, I said it. And I’ll say it again: time management. I’ve seen too many professionals limit their chances of success due to a lack of basic time management skills. I’ve even heard excuses such as “I don’t have time for time management” and “I already know what needs to be done.” These excuses are often muttered while the speaker shuffles paper from one inbox to the next in a futile search for something else.
I’ve also introduced these same professionals to the week before vacation concept and the results have been spectacular! Those who have embraced the idea have realized that taking the time to manage your time results in additional time! So, give it a try this week: pretend that you are going on vacation starting at quitting time on Friday afternoon. What needs to be done in order for the office to survive the following week without you?
Write down everything that needs to be complete and then prioritize each task. Once prioritized, schedule time for each one and then do them! Be realistic and schedule more time than you think will be required as padding. Don’t forget to schedule time to call your clients and your supervisor with progress reports. While you would normally call to let them know that you’d be out of town and who to call in your absence, this won’t be necessary as you will be available next week. However, a friendly call with a status update is always welcome and a good business practice. For example, you might call a client to let him know his order is progressing as expected and it looks like the delivery will arrive on the day promised. While not earth-shattering, your client will appreciate that you’re keeping an eye on his order and that you cared enough to call.
When Friday afternoon arrives, clear off your desk and enjoy your weekend knowing that you deserve it! Best of all, when you return on Monday, you’ll have a clean desk and a clear schedule! It will fill up fast, so make sure to plan for next week’s vacation right away.
ACTOrbit Action Steps
• Pretend that this week is the week before vacation
• Use ACT’s Task List to list and prioritize the tasks you must complete this week
• Review the status of each of your projects and schedule progress report phone calls with all stakeholders
• Reward yourself and stay in the vacation mindset on Friday by wearing a Hawaiian shirt to work or scheduling a dinner out with friends
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