For the next three weeks, I am going on vacation with my family. I’ll be checking my email and working part of the time, but I hope to spend the majority of my days with my kids and my extended family. My trusty assistant will make sure that all of our customers’ and writers’ phone calls are answered and that any documentation emergencies will be taken care of in my absence.
I’ve tried to take a handful of vacations throughout the years, most of which end up with me working full-time but from a remote location. This year, I’m really hoping that our excursion will be more vacation and less work than in the past. And with that in mind, I present you with the start of my Top 10 list of what NOT to say to me (or anyone, for that matter) before or during summer vacation:
- “Are your plane tickets refundable? No? Well, maybe you can leave just a few days later?”
- “I know it’s 3AM over there but I am having a documentation emergency so I thought it would be OK just this once to call on your parents’ house phone....no, you didn’t give me the number. I called information.”
- “You are a service provider. Provide service. Now.”
- “Aren’t you nervous about flying such a long way with 3-year-old-twins? I remember my daughter at that age…she screamed for 11 hours straight!”
- “Do you REALLY need to take a vacation NOW?” (Yes.) “Maybe you should wait until things settle down in a few months?” (They won’t.)
- “Remember that documentation project we discussed back in February? Well, we’re ready to kick-off the project now and the deadline is really tight. Can we have a draft by the end of the week?”
- “Vacation? What vacation? I didn’t know you were taking a vacation. Really? You sent me an email? I don’t usually read emails like that from suppliers.”
- “I am unavailable to speak next week because I’ll be on vacation. When I get back, I’ll try and reach you on your cell during your trip.”
Time to get back to packing and tying up loose odds and ends for my customers before my trip. Can anyone out there help me finish my Top Ten list? What’s on yours? Leave me a comment below...and have a GREAT summer!
Miriam Lottner, CEO of Tech-Tav, is a “single sorceress” and technical documentation innovator whose professional passion is helping her
9. I took the liberty of setting up a few local sales meetings for you over there. You don't get business opportunities like those every day.
10. You're visiting extended family? And you think you'll feel like you're on vacation?
Have you left yet? If not, have a great time! If you're there already, stop checking your blog comments!
And the last two are better left unsaid:)
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