“Is the office still there?” – my wife used to ask,
ironically, the day (or evening) after a holiday when I returned home after
checking the post mountain.
Why? Because I’d spent the fortnight before we went away flaying
myself in an effort to push every visible and anticipated plate so far up into
the clouds that it wouldn’t come down before I got back.
One (plate) - at least - always did, of course. In
hindsight, it was inevitable.
What do I do now?
I get up to date, without killing myself, and accept that
there will be daily traffic that I monitor and manage remotely every day, not
every minute.
Mobile technology empowers me to see what is happening and
ignore, steer or (if I really must) seize control of it wherever I am.
Phone, text, e-mail – WAP or laptop – enables whatever level
of response is required.
Result? No stress before the holiday, because it’s never too
late to deal. No stress during the holiday because it’s under control. No
stress after the holiday because it’s all up to date.
Sure, you never switch off completely but does any
professional business owner ever?
Proof is, my family happily accept that Dad may spend 10
minutes here and there directing operations back at base but is then, and for
all the holiday, a happy bunny.
Yes, my sweet, the office is still there - and we’re still
here and all is good.
