Comments on: A Day Away Is Work That Still Needs Doing http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/ A fool and his blog are soon parted. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:32:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7-beta2-9617 hourly 1 By: Chemical Ali of chemists-pharmacists-uk.co.uk http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/comment-page-1/#comment-60750 Chemical Ali of chemists-pharmacists-uk.co.uk Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:13:56 +0000 http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/#comment-60750 "I get a kick out of what Matt Cutts’ away message said when I emailed a few months ago while he was on vacation. The response basically said if the reason I am writing is urgent contact so-and-so, but if it can wait then send the email again after such-date as he would be deleting all his email when he returned. Definitely an interesting solution." Hate to say it, but he wasn't the first guy to invent that one. The reality is he probably won't delete it though, just stick it in a big folder so he can go back if he has to. Then trick is first day, during update meetings, just ask people to say what's relevant. It's also really interesting way of seeing what is/is not really truly important in the business world. So many fires that were "100% totally incredibly critical" on Tuesday, aren't even in the top 10 by Friday. Tasks, while not being emails, time away and perspective sure help you cut through what is critical and what's not. Then again if your boss commands you do all of the tasks, then it doesn't really matter anyway. Except getting you pissed off. “I get a kick out of what Matt Cutts’ away message said when I emailed a few months ago while he was on vacation. The response basically said if the reason I am writing is urgent contact so-and-so, but if it can wait then send the email again after such-date as he would be deleting all his email when he returned. Definitely an interesting solution.”

Hate to say it, but he wasn’t the first guy to invent that one. The reality is he probably won’t delete it though, just stick it in a big folder so he can go back if he has to. Then trick is first day, during update meetings, just ask people to say what’s relevant.

It’s also really interesting way of seeing what is/is not really truly important in the business world. So many fires that were “100% totally incredibly critical” on Tuesday, aren’t even in the top 10 by Friday. Tasks, while not being emails, time away and perspective sure help you cut through what is critical and what’s not.

Then again if your boss commands you do all of the tasks, then it doesn’t really matter anyway. Except getting you pissed off.

]]> By: Bruce of authoritydirectory.com http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/comment-page-1/#comment-60525 Bruce of authoritydirectory.com Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:51:25 +0000 http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/#comment-60525 I like Brent's comment. To leave work behind and truely have a fun vacation, you have to be able to leave work behind. By allowing someone else to make decisions while your gone, maybe the pileup won't be that bad when you get back. I like Brent’s comment. To leave work behind and truely have a fun vacation, you have to be able to leave work behind. By allowing someone else to make decisions while your gone, maybe the pileup won’t be that bad when you get back.

]]> By: Bruce of authoritydirectory.com http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/comment-page-1/#comment-59559 Bruce of authoritydirectory.com Tue, 14 Aug 2007 21:21:55 +0000 http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/#comment-59559 That is the worst part about taking a vacation. When you come back you have a couple weeks of work waiting for you. I like Matt's solution. Just delete it all and start from scratch. That is the worst part about taking a vacation. When you come back you have a couple weeks of work waiting for you. I like Matt’s solution. Just delete it all and start from scratch.

]]> By: dmi of dmipartners.com http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/comment-page-1/#comment-59388 dmi of dmipartners.com Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:54:33 +0000 http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/#comment-59388 The problem I always run into is keeping the impending catching up from starting to nag at the back of my brain even while I am still enjoying time off. The problem I always run into is keeping the impending catching up from starting to nag at the back of my brain even while I am still enjoying time off.

]]> By: Brent O. http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/comment-page-1/#comment-58911 Brent O. Sat, 11 Aug 2007 12:37:22 +0000 http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/#comment-58911 My strategy: when I want to take time off, I pull someone aside and say: "I want you to make my decisions for one week. You are going to make mistakes. I know this for a fact because I do my own job for a living, and I make mistakes every week doing it." "You're going to be outside of your comfort zone. I know this because I'm the only one who's in my comfort zone doing this job. If you were comfortable doing my job, you'd already be doing my job. On the other hand, you might fall right into your comfort zone, so when I come back, if there's any pieces of my job you want to take over, you can have them." "I will not fault you for any mistakes you make this week. Just do the best job you can - that's all I do - and be on the lookout for things you want to grow into." "You won't finish everything that comes up. I know this because I don't finish everything either. (Time to plug GTD.) Accept the fact that things will pile up, and that's okay. Your mission next week isn't to keep up with my work, but just to make decisions for me." "We're going to start two days early. I'm leaving Saturday, but on Thursday, you'll start doing my job. I will be finishing up small stuff, and I'll change my out-of-office autoreply and my phone voicemail to mention you. That way you can get up to speed gradually, and ping me on things that have you stumped." I've never had a phone call during a vacation yet. (Of course, some of that probably has to do with me vacationing out of the country or on cruise ships, yuk yuk yuk.) My strategy: when I want to take time off, I pull someone aside and say:

“I want you to make my decisions for one week. You are going to make mistakes. I know this for a fact because I do my own job for a living, and I make mistakes every week doing it.”

“You’re going to be outside of your comfort zone. I know this because I’m the only one who’s in my comfort zone doing this job. If you were comfortable doing my job, you’d already be doing my job. On the other hand, you might fall right into your comfort zone, so when I come back, if there’s any pieces of my job you want to take over, you can have them.”

“I will not fault you for any mistakes you make this week. Just do the best job you can - that’s all I do - and be on the lookout for things you want to grow into.”

“You won’t finish everything that comes up. I know this because I don’t finish everything either. (Time to plug GTD.) Accept the fact that things will pile up, and that’s okay. Your mission next week isn’t to keep up with my work, but just to make decisions for me.”

“We’re going to start two days early. I’m leaving Saturday, but on Thursday, you’ll start doing my job. I will be finishing up small stuff, and I’ll change my out-of-office autoreply and my phone voicemail to mention you. That way you can get up to speed gradually, and ping me on things that have you stumped.”

I’ve never had a phone call during a vacation yet. (Of course, some of that probably has to do with me vacationing out of the country or on cruise ships, yuk yuk yuk.)

]]> By: engtech @ IDT http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/comment-page-1/#comment-58645 engtech @ IDT Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:07:35 +0000 http://foolswisdom.com/a-day-away-is-work-that-still-needs-doing/#comment-58645 I try to actively avoid taking ownerships of any tasks that have a continual maintenance component... or automate them as much as possible. For support emails, I imagine using one of those autotext entry programs could help a lot. for common responses, create autotext shortcuts lifehacker.com writes about tools like that a lot I try to actively avoid taking ownerships of any tasks that have a continual maintenance component… or automate them as much as possible.

For support emails, I imagine using one of those autotext entry programs could help a lot.

for common responses, create autotext shortcuts

lifehacker.com writes about tools like that a lot

]]>