What’s on the iPod: Wannabe by The Spice Girls (stop laughing)
What I’m reading upstairs: Going to Meet the Man by James Baldwin
I’ve been a bit quiet about it, but I’m actually about to go on vacation. The reason I’ve been quiet: the moment I announce it, all hell tends to break loose workwise. So I’ve been working extra hard to get projects done, started, or in progress before I drive off. Yesterday I spent the afternoon writing an article complete with sidebar, resource links, and source lists. I may be wrong, but I felt good about it when I’d finished. We’ll see.
I’m also spending the next few days getting other ongoing projects sewn up and invoiced. And I’m getting interviews scheduled for the next article, due in August. The more I do now, the more I can relax when I close this door at the end of the week.
But what’s vacation plans without a glitch? A client project I’d sent out last week to a publication prompted a call from the editor. I’m not sure what that’s about, but whatever fixes or amendments are needed will sit until I get back.
Let’s hope that’s all that comes knocking this week. I don’t have time. If you don’t know this about me already, I’m a planner. I make lists and get giddy when I can check the big stuff off that list. I’ve been accused of being too punctual to parties and appointments. I can’t be late. Physically, I just can’t do it. Not even on purpose. I’d probably self-combust.
Normally I do announce my departures, but I have a full calendar of projects for July. Anything else will be new to me. Clients contacting me next week will get my out-of-the-office notice. Where I’ll be there’s no cell phone service let alone Internet. Amen. Disconnecting entirely is exactly what we all need once in a while.
Do you inform clients of your upcoming vacations? How much of a planner are you? What’s your best method of preparing for time off?
11 responses to “Mad Dashes and Lists”
I never use the word "vacation." I am simply "booked". It is not their business as to what the booking is; either I am available or not. The whys are MY business, not theirs.
Exactly that. I usually say I'm out of the office. They can come to their own conclusions.
I'm with Devon. I don't talk about vacations; however, I haven't had a long one, so I don't know if I would in that situation.
Let's hope I discover what I would say in the not too distant future-a long vacation sounds nice. 🙂
Enjoy your vacation, Lori, oops-shh… 😀
LOL Thanks, Cathy. 🙂
I think it's okay to mention a vacation – if a client can't understand that we need time off, that's not a client who will work well with us. I've only had one client fuss about my "vacation" I never mentioned, and yes, he was NOT worth the trouble in the end.
Well, we all know that the mere concept of vacations are foreign to me. But around the holidays I often spend five or six days hanging with the ole niece & nephew (and, well, their parents and the rest of the family), but that's always Christmas week, when none of my editors are working, anyway.
But I'm s HUGE planner. I love lists. I have at least three active lists right now. Work, household, and random things I need to get done. And there is a real sense of accomplishment at crossing something off the list. (Geek alert: I've been known to add things to a list just to cross them off.)
And Lori: My area is at TorCon 6 today. How about you? Seems our storms keep barreling toward you.
Wow! That's high alert, Paula! Ours is lower – haven't heard the exact rating yet, but last night held much more promise than today. But tomorrow, look out!!
After all the emotional upheavals you've been through, you deserve to sneak off for a vacation.
I'm usually a planner too–someone who puts everything that must be done on a day planner and enjoys ticking items off the list. This past vacation, I let all of the clients I'd worked with in the past two months know two weeks in advance. It turned out to not be enough. When they learned I'd be off for almost two weeks, almost every single one of them suddenly had something that couldn't wait until I came back.
I've always said that taking some kind of break is the quickest and surest way to bring in business. However, when you're really serious about that break, it can be a real drag. I worked my butt off the ten days leading up to my vacation, which led to some pretty stressful last-minute scrambling. You definitely don't need that. Sneak away, and don't look back. ;o)
I don't vacate any more, but if I did, I would not announce it to the world. I can just see the burglars lining up for the chance to break in!
If I could go away, I'm sure I would experience the same as you–a deluge of business.
Have a great time!
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Go, girl. Get as far away as you can, even just for a little bit 🙂 And good for you for disconnecting entirely. It's so rare we can actually do that, and it's so important to fully recharge. I just got back from a short vacation and I was feeling mighty refreshed by the end! Have a great time!
Georganna, if this house weren't like a free hotel (the rooms are always full!), I'd be the same. My clients get told. If the house is to stand empty, I NEVER say until I'm back for the same reason!
Kathy, I was fine until this morning. I had a project from HELL (same client you worked with recently). It took forever. Those are rare, but they usually happen right around vacation time, don't they? FYI, I just fended off a "Can you get this to us next week?" request. They did know I was leaving, so it came as a surprise they wanted it when I wasn't going to be here.
Ashley, the disconnect is the best thing imaginable. You don't think so until you're completely without connection. Your brain just stops cranking like a hamster wheel. 🙂
I love Devon's idea of saying I'm booked. I typically have very friendly relationships with my editors, so I'm happy to tell them I'm on vacation (and so far no one's ever abused that), but for newer clients, maybe that's the way to go.
Thanks for the tips, Lori and Devon!