Finals are done, and our students are heading home on break. Most of the campus will be quiet over the next few weeks, as folks take their own vacations. Taking a break away from work allows our minds to relax, so we can be at our best when we return to the office. Without that opportunity to unwind, it can become harder and harder to think clearly and with perspective. Vacations are important, and that's why I often remark why we must "unplug" during a break.
This holiday season, I'll be away from the office starting December 23 until early January, but I've scheduled a few blog item while I am out. So while you'll see new posts on this blog, I really am exercising my work-life balance.
This year, I decided to take an extra step towards work-life balance. These days, we all have connected personal devices or smartphones, like an iPad or an Android. I have one of each. They're great devices to have, to stay connected with what's going on around me. At a click, I can check email or my calendar.
But that constant connectedness is also a detraction from good work-life balance. Speaking for myself, I don't know that I can resist the temptation to click into my email from my smartphone, even while I'm away on vacation. So during this holiday break, I intend to remove my account details from my Android phone and my iPad. I won't be connected to my work email at all.
I challenge you to find your own way to completely relax while on holiday break. If you're on-call, that's one thing to stay connected. But when you aren't on-call, you should do your best to maintain that work-life balance.
