Demob happy

As she neared retirement, my Mum once told me that she 'lurched from holiday to holiday'. A band called Hard-Fi sings about 'Living for the weekend'. And to throw another cliché into the mix, there are those who would argue that people with such philosophies are wishing their lives away. So, how to strike the balance correctly?

In my last week at work before a fortnight's break in Sardinia last month, I mentioned with the perennial worry that I was going to run out of time to do everything before I went away. I managed to clear my desk, but there remained that niggling doubt that I'd forgotten something important. I started the tram journey home on my last day grappling with that thought, but moved on to reflect that no doubt one member of my 17-strong team of specialist professional indemnity colleagues would find capacity from somewhere if that file reared its head. No (wo)man is an island, and all that.

Once I had thus assuaged my concerns, I spent the rest of my journey homewards focusing on holiday-related matters such as what needed packing, where the passports were likely to be hiding this year and who was going to feed the cat.

Well the planning was worth it '“ Sardinia was fabulous. The people are smiley, the weather sunny, the food and wine superb and the scenery spectacular. Whether you fancy yourself as a beach bum or intrepid explorer, there is plenty to satisfy.

Our villa, which we sourced on t'internet after many long hours of surfing, was well located. The main living area was spacious and open plan '“ great feng shui I'm sure, but rather alarming when there are two children under the age of two in your party and not a handrail in sight across acres of gleaming tiled steps and a perpendicular garden. Nobody panic! After a little furniture removal and some fashioning of impromptu stairgates from sun loungers, we could start to relax.

Switching to holiday mode

Interesting topic, relaxing. People are all different and convert into holiday mode at their own pace. A one-week holiday would be useless to my husband as he struggles to block work (he's head of group purchasing and marketing in a chemical and cleaning machine manufacturing company) from his sleeping and waking thoughts for the first few days of any break. He is improving however and managed this year to not check a single email even though he has permanent access on his mobile phone. As his diametric opposite, I seem to have a holiday switch in my head which is triggered by setting foot on a plane. I truly consider my holiday to start then and there and have been known to indulge in a celebratory beer in mid-air well before any accepted yardarm, just because I can.

Perhaps my approach is testament to my aforementioned esteemed colleagues, who have between them over 170 years' experience of dealing with the laws of the land. I also recognise that the professional indemnity world will not collapse just because I'm absent for two weeks. That is not to say that my husband is an egomaniac who works with a bunch of wasters, but in practice his job is pretty much independent of others. As I seem to be full of cheesy phrases this month, the conclusion could be that there is indeed 'no I in team'.

I once worked with a partner who prided herself on not taking her annual holiday entitlement. She considered it almost a personal affront when I applied one year to buy extra holidays through the flexible benefits system. I never understood that mentality. Dedication and commitment to your work is commendable, but I truly believe that unless your staff take time to properly recharge their batteries throughout the holiday year their performance will suffer. To jump on my risk management soap box for a moment, tired and overworked employees could mean eyes off balls and ultimately complaints and claims against your firm. Think on.

And before anyone raises financial objections, holidays do not need to cost the earth as you needn't even go away from home. You could instead take some time off to indulge in intensive Wimbledon watching and strawberry consumption, or to just lie in bed past 9am for a week and take a couple of decent day trips. Yesterday I bumped into a former equity partner who is currently on garden leave to find him very much savouring the start of the Ashes!

There are those who advocate booking your next break as soon as you return from the last one, to give yourself something to look forward to. That makes work sound very bleak, and as someone who actually enjoys their job (most of the time) I've not yet felt on my knees to this extent. That said, I am off to Scotland for the T in the Park music festival this weekend '“ my first ever camping experience and an interesting one to pick by all accounts! On the assumption that I will enjoy camping (hmm) we've already committed to a further trip over the August bank holiday weekend with a group of friends, and there's no getting out of that one as the children have been told and are already in a great state of excitement about sleeping under canvas.

Will it be all wellies and warm white wine? More next month.

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