This you’re going to like. Just cut this out and walk right in to see your boss. It’s time to adjust those summer vacation plans.
What’s that? You think you’re too busy to take a vacation this summer? A real one, I mean. Not a long weekend.
You might want to rethink your approach.
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A study released by the national staffing firm OfficeTeam found that 43 percent of workers polled said the biggest mistake they made with their last vacation was taking insufficient time off.
Nearly 600 respondents, both male and female professionals, were asked about the biggest mistake they made the last time they took a vacation.
While the vast majority said they simply did not take enough time, others said they couldn’t get their mind off work – or they checked in with the office far too often.
“Employees, fearful of falling behind on projects or not seeming like team players, often put off vacations or limit breaks to long weekends,” said Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam. “Lean staffing levels in recent years have left many professionals with increased pressure at work, but this makes the need to recharge more vital than ever.”
Domeyer suggests that one key to a restful vacation is to collaborate with co-workers. Inform them, she says, of the status of key projects before you leave. Domeyer offers the following additional tips:
• Use history as your guide. Consider your last vacation, including what you did, how much time you took and whether or not you felt reinvigorated on your return. This experience should serve as a basis for planning your next break.
• Resist the urge to check in. Change your voicemail and e-mail to let colleagues know you are away. Don’t contact the office unless it is necessary. The more connected you are, the less time you have to unwind.
• Avoid scheduling too many meetings for the day you return. You’ll need time to address immediate issues, catch up on e-mail and get updates from co-workers on the status of projects.
• Seize the day. Don’t wait until you are in dire need of a vacation to take one. Regular breaks can keep you motivated all yearlong.
Some odds and ends…
• Democratic political consultant James Carville had some interesting things to say when he delivered the keynote speech at the Rhode Island Society of Financial Service Professionals annual dinner on May 25 at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick.
Carville, a close advisor to President Bill Clinton, believes the country is inching closer to a true third-party movement, which, he said, will come “sooner rather than later” and will take from both mainstream political parties.
Public sentiment, he added, is moving away from concern for other countries and toward the idea of fixing what’s wrong in America.
“We’re not going to be able to fix every problem, everywhere,” he said.
Predictably, Carville expects U.S. Sen. John Kerry to defeat President Bush in November. When asked who he thinks Kerry will choose as a running mate, Carville said he had no inside information, but suggested that U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden, a Delaware Democrat, might make the most sense.
• The former headquarters of an historic family business, the Louttit Laundry Building at 93 Cranston St. in Providence, has received federal recognition for its contributions to the history of industry and architecture. The National Park Service has added Louttit Laundry to the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register is the government’s official list of properties whose historical and architectural significance makes them worthy of preservation.
• Employers and HR professionals from throughout New England are invited to a free conference being sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, this Friday, June 11, in Portsmouth, N.H. The program is titled “Mastering the Skills for the 21st Century Workforce.
According to Kathleen Summers, a regional representative for the U.S. Secretary of Labor, conference workshops will cover a range of issues, from the responsibilities of employers under the various federal labor laws, to how employee training can affect a company’s bottom line. For more information, call 617-565-1988 or visit www.doleta.gov/regions/reg01bos/skills21Century.cfm.
• Best wishes to Rep. Melvoid Benson, a North Kingstown Democrat, who after 14 years at the State House, will not be running for re-election. A retired teacher, Benson worked tirelessly for children, older folks and veterans. That’s not a bad legacy to leave behind.
