There are so many challenges of my role that I have embraced (more on this next week) and some even with some degree of success. Others I’m blissfully unaware of at this present time.
I pride myself on being a rational, empirical human being that is able to reason with my chimp (see the brilliant Steve Peters) on a daily basis. And yet, despite all the evidence to the contrary, including my own experience, I still struggle to take a holiday.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be too harsh on myself. This is the second year in a row that I have taken a two-week break in August. Despite August been more expensive and not having children, the quieter time eases the pile of emails and requests I have to return to. I love Southern Europe at this time of year too.
We pay for it of course. Not only have the past two months been incredibly busy, but knowing these weeks were coming has made it especially hard. I have become better at saying no and have been quite ruthless about the two weeks leading up to my leave. This time is about the team and operational matters. With this focus however is an inevitable compromise in developing new business. This is not a compromise unique to the holiday period!
The real challenge I haven’t conquered though is the guilt. It’s pretty much the only time of year I take a proper break and I’ve never felt like I needed it so much. I know full well that I’m grumpy, making bad (if any) decisions and haven’t had a new or exciting idea in weeks (sorry team). And yet I know that lightness I feel after a few days away as my brain can finally see the wood for the trees.
At this vantage point (two days before I go away) I see the two weeks as time I could be spending on strategic work and business development. Imagine what I could achieve with two whole weeks! And don’t even get me started on ‘abandoning’ the team! But I’ll get over it and by Sunday evening will be sunning myself in a bar in Seville, putting things in perspective and feeling very grateful.
So expect a rejuvenation, some strategy and some ideas in September. And enjoy yours. See you in three weeks!
And if you love European train travel half as much as me, hop over to my Instagram account and keep an eye @rebkawhite.
