Bizcuits | The end of Summertime

Leanda Lee

Summer, it is and many of us are still out and about. The idea of holidays is to relax, to rest, to build up reserves, to de-stress before coming back to work charged and inspired, ready for the onslaught again. It is generally believed to take about two weeks of down-time to make a difference to stress levels (Colombia, Ecuador, France, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago all have at least a minimum of 15 consecutive days leave), but I have a little pet theory. It takes longer than a fortnight these days.
Gone are the times when – maybe some of you will remember – we worked late into the night in the office that last day before holidays to finalise everything so that we could walk out that door with a clear desk and equally clear conscience. That office door was the line between work and non-­work. It was a magical delineator. Once we had bid our farewells and passed over that threshold there was no way for clients or colleagues, underlings, bosses or suppliers to get hold of us for those couple of weeks. Holidays started that very moment.
Our work phone-number connected to a phone at our office desks. Our computers weren’t connected to anything, and private phone numbers were just that, private. Facebook was non-existent. Social networking was something cool guys did with a glass of something in hand. Nothing was so important that it couldn’t wait until our return. In any case, we trusted that we had arranged for someone else capable enough to be on hand to handle urgent matters. Patience was a virtue and most things could wait and if not there were always organisational systems in place to deal with eventualities. We were not indispensable for a short period of time – we could and were allowed to go on holiday.
Yet, even as I find myself in the middle of the most gorgeous tropical resort, a destination to envy, I know the ubiquitous Wifi will be available. I am so physically isolated here that management hasn’t even bothered to set a password on the system. I have a ludicrous two devices connected: a computer and an iPhone. The iPad hasn’t been turned on yet but when it is, that too will ping at me. And because I knew that I’d have access and connection, I had agreed to cover for someone else at work on the third night of my stay, I hadn’t written that article ahead of time and I’d just requested an extension to a deadline knowing there’d be some down-time during my trip to get that book chapter finished. Holiday? What holiday?
So, I am convinced it takes longer these days to de-stress. It’s just too easy to take work along with us. We don’t force ourselves to prepare to turn off. Then there are those that are expected by their organisations or managers to be available at all times. So many of us are all too busy doing what we do and our identities wrapped up in that self-­righteous busyness that it’s easier to shift work into that sacred space. In some ways it is rewarding to maintain that flow and connection. We also justify to ourselves that we can’t turn off because others may need us. Indeed, those expectations may exist but we are the ones to create this conundrum and we only have ourselves to blame.
So, next time I go on holiday, Boss, I’m really going on holiday. I promise.