When I started my business I wanted to be able to work anywhere and from home. If your business is set up this way, you can work anywhere and any time. Also during your vacation, but should you?
Last week we were in Austria for some days of vacation.
We had a beautiful appartement in Oberau – haus Astoria. Sonja, the owner, was really helpful. I misplaced (lost) my Wildschönau card, that gave me access to the lifts, and she replaced it the next morning.
We had great weather, sunny and not too warm, just great for getting out. And we did:
Lot’s of hiking and walking.
Visiting the Silberbergwerg in Schwaz a place with a rich history and Schloss Tratzberg.
The kids went on a tandem flight in paragliding with Fly2 (there are some great photos)
And we all went on a large Summer Rodelbahn. Wow that went fast. Kids hat lots of fun. Our daughter did not understand the sign ‘Bremsen’ (break) and went of the track in one of the turns. She loves speed and excitement, this did not stop her of course.
Internet not free
The appartement had wi-fi but it was not for free, only EUR 2,00 per day. Of course I used the offer.
Having access to the internet meant I could check my email. It gives me the feeling of freedom and that I can work anywhere. Exactly as I wanted it too when I started my business.
However I do wonder if it would be better to completely disconnect during the holidays. No email, no Facebook, no Twitter, nothing. Just books, the family and the location.
Maybe I should try that soon 🙂
Vacation routine
This was my rhythm during this break:
- Just like any other day I get up early, around 6.00am. It just feels good to me and I wake up without the alarm. If I get up ‘late’ like 8.00am it feels to me like I have missed a large part of the day.
- I walked quietly to the living room, our son was sleeping here on the couch.
- I would open up my laptop and connect the phone to charge
- Checked the mail for messages, a few need to be answered and others are moved to the trash. The rest can wait until I am back in the office.
- Checked Facebook and Twitter a bit.
- Reading the book For Better or for Work: A Survival Guide for Entrepreneurs & Their Families
by Meg Cadoux Hirschberg.
- When the rest woke up – breakfast together.
- Out, enjoying the area with the family.
Walking from the top of the Schatzberg to the valley
The kids used the wifi a lot more than I did. 🙂
For me, it feels good to have internet and to be able to check email once a day during our vacation.
Can you survive without wifi?
How about you? Do you book your vacation based on the availability of wifi in the hotel or appartement?
Do you need to check your email or do you completely get away from your business?
Hi Erno,
I love to have vacation, but the last one I took a Droam with me. (Wifi connection everywhere 🙂 )
Just to check important mail at the end of the day (when my kids were already to sleep) and yes still feel to have a little bit control …
I just don’t want to judge what is better, have a vacation with or without internet?
I just like to go with the flow and enjoy the vacation and be thankfull for living….and the possibility to communicate with every one (at almost lightspeed by internet)
Hi Mariëtta,
Great, I enjoyed the Droam on 2 of our holidays. This time with EUR 2.00 for internet access in our appartement I did not need it 🙂
Hi Erno,
I went on holidays for two weeks with a 2,00 per day internet access from my mobile provider, which was great. But I put my business email, Twitter and LinkedIn updates on hold during my stay.
And it was nice to be really on holiday, as normally I have everything alerting me all day long. During holidays I go for long walks, read books (on paper, not an e-reader 😉 and that gives me peace of mind.
And when I came home it took me about a day or two to get by with all the information that had come to me during my two weeks leave. Maybe I missed some, but that is not a problem.
Kind Regards,
Jaap
Hi Jaap, what did you use the internet access for when you put all the business mail on hold?
Hi Erno, I just returned from my summer courses in the Ardennen. I had no connection whatsoever with the internet. It was a blessing. I worked there, gave courses every day, in a very peacefull and ‘closed’ environment. I know for a fact, that when I go and check my mail, or go on FB or Twitter, conversations keep spinning around in my mind. And that’s taking me away from being in the here and now. For me it’s better to say, sorry we’re closed because of summer time. It’s quiet anyways, only a few are working (mostly ZZP 😉 and when you try to reach somebody: the answer is 80%: ” sorry vacation “. It’s so good sometimes to be there for whomever you want to be, without the urge of feeling missed all the time.
This is also the reason I didn’t attend your last webinar. But when I can scedule it in, I will be happy to watch it. I give you my responses later.
Sounds like a good time Margo. Good points on how email and the social networks work longer in your brain then the actual reading time. All distractions from the important things.
Looking forward to your response on the webinar.
Hi Erno, in Camboya there is almost everywhere free wifi access – much better than France for instance! :). Wonderful to keep up with mails and check hotels and information
Wow Joitske, Cambodia. Cool.
Do you check your mail multiple times per day or just once with all this access?
In here, we don’t have much free wifi access, but I like to be always connection to internet even during vacations, staying active on twitter and sharing vacation pics would be awesome!
Thank you Chris.