Work Like You're On Vacation

Most women take months to plan their escape from work. Vacations can come in the form of adding a Friday or a Monday to make it a long weekend, or vacations can be a week-long getaway to somewhere appealing, relaxing or exotic. Over the last couple of weeks, I feel like my vacation has been going to work. You all have heard the adage “when it rains it pours,” and in our neck of the woods, it’s flooding. About three weeks ago a leak sprung under our newly built deck. Ignoring it worked for a day or two but soon we had a small river flowing through our lawn. The big trucks rolled in this week to start digging and find the pipes that need repairing. The stress is building as we are wondering if the pump burning out will be next or the water will find its way to the basement. The pipes bursting alone would be one stress inducer that I could handle, but on top of that, I ran our family dog over accidentally two weeks ago. The first trip to the vet showed a broken leg and some bruising. However, a few days after the accident, we realized there was something seriously wrong with Rocky. Sure enough, he had a fractured pelvis and severe bruising, and the break was worse than originally thought. So, while the river is running through our yard, our family dog was undergoing surgery to have pins placed in his leg, which lead to a week-long stay in the animal hospital. One would think the series of unfortunate events would wane. Close, but not quite. While in Lawrence, Kansas, last weekend, my car decided it no longer wanted to start. Thankfully, it was in a driveway and not on the highway with children in the car. Being it was Easter weekend, there was not a mechanic around willing to work on it. At 3 a.m. Easter Sunday, we finally drove down our driveway in our very nice, but expensive rental car. Needless to say, I have to withstand a six-hour ride back down to Kansas to pick up my car this weekend, and then a six-hour drive home. The fun still does not stop here! Somewhere amid all this, I let the cows out early one morning, and do you think they would go back into the barn for me? On a dewy morning, wearing my flip-flops that slide like crazy when wet, with a baby on my hip, I was chasing cows of all things. I should have been enjoying my cup of coffee out on our deck, watching our river, before I left for work. Thankfully the cows respond better to Matt, and he came home to fix my mistake. With all these stressors piling up at home, I have decided I am going to work like I’m on vacation. Maybe this idea will lend some inspiration to those of you going through stress at home as well. In planning a vacation, one generally looks for environments that will allow relaxation and encourage a good time. It’s time to stop missing the opportunity to plan to be inspired, relaxed, explorative, challenged and adventurous (to a certain point) at work. Add a little color to your environment, and this doesn’t mean you have to paint your walls. Studies show that colors impact our mood, even in small doses. My hot pink mouse and mouse pad does the trick for me. While you’re adding color, add a little life. A plant or two will help keep your air clear and make your desk a little more interesting. Make sure you have good lighting too! Not everyone can have a corner office with windows galore, so add a lamp to your desk. Working like I’m on vacation will be my new motto, and perhaps it will inspire a few of you as well. If you go overboard and decide to wear your hula skirt to work, please let me know how that goes.