Idea Enablers

16 August 2012

You might be a control freak if...

You might be a control freak if...

Do you tell clients and vendors that you’re going on vacation? If you don’t, you may have a control issue. Like me.

I find myself wanting to do it; not tell people I’ll be on vacation. What if an emergency arises? What if they give the work to someone else? What if they think I’m not committed enough, or dedicated enough to their business? These are all just personal (control) issues that once let go, are really non-issues.

By not telling people you’re on vacation, you can never really rest your brain and recharge to be better when you return. Let alone shorting the loved ones you’re vacationing with. With your iPhone glued to your one hand and your laptop in your other hand – all while touring the Hearst Castle (or where ever you may be) – how focused can you really be and enjoy the experience?

Time to silence the control freak in me once and for all. This time around, I let people know I was going to be out of the office and gave them the contact information for my associates. I did this about a week ahead of time so that they, and I, could anticipate anything that might arise during my “time out.” What I discovered was this:

  1. Everyone was respectful of my vacation time. (Why wouldn’t they be? They too have been in the same boat.)
  2. We got more business prior to my vacation because our clients needed us for things and were planning ahead right along with us.
  3. Nothing blew up while I was out.

While I will never be one of those people who completely disconnect – this would cause crushing stress – I can let go and admit that I too vacation with the rest of the world. And it doesn’t make me less of a person, or less dedicated, and nothing went wrong because I wasn’t there.

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