Lessons are learned on projects throughout their lifecycle, and we encourage people to document them as they occur, otherwise they will be forgotten. Lessons are also learned in life, and in trying to capture some lessons before they’re lost, I’m noting some recent ones from vacation.
After having slept only two hours the previous night before our trip to North Carolina, I decided to call it an early night after our flight, two-hour drive to the resort, and dinner. The room had two beds. I usually sleep on the right side of the bed, so in my state of exhaustion, I looked at the bed on the right and figured – same thing. The nightstand was in the middle of the two beds and I *need* my phone and watch next to me, so I figured that the left side of the right bed was the correct spot. You would think after only two hours of sleep, I would’ve woken up just in time for our flight home Monday, four days later. But I barely slept. The next night, no better. I asked my husband, and he didn’t sleep great either. I concluded we were on the wrong sides of the bed. The third night we drove two hours back to be closer to the PGA event we were attending. I slept better in that Marriott Courtyard than I did the previous two nights at a luxe resort in the Asheville mountains.
Lesson learned: Change is good, but not always needed. Sleep on the right side of the bed.
Vacation showed me just how tied to my desk I am. I’m not a particularly active person at home except on days I run. On vacation, even on days we didn’t do much, I usually hit my move goals (which believe me, the bar is low) just by doing a few leisurely things. My job is very sedentary. Today for example, as I write this, it’s noon and I’ve only moved 2% of my goal, gotten one minute of exercise, and can only miss one more hour of standing or will miss that goal as well.
Lesson learned: Be more cognizant of moving. Stop hitting snooze or dismiss on my watch when it reminds me to stand. Walk more during the day. Team members: Anyone want to do a walking 1-on-1, a la Steve Jobs? (This offer expires when the thermometer goes below 60.)
To offset all that moving on vacation, I ate a lot more. But I ate better, because we ate meals. (Are we the only ones whose vacation revolves around food?) On workdays, I eat at odd times or skip meals altogether because of meetings or I stay way past dinner. OK I lied. I don’t skip meals if M&Ms and Hershey nuggets can be categorized as lunch or dinner.
Lesson learned: On workdays, plan meals like I plan work and meetings. (IOW, pretend I’m on vacation.)
I’m always online. Phone, laptop, tablet, watch… work and personal. I’m always connected. Admittedly I don’t hate it. But, my husband does when I’m on vacation. We spent our first day in an incredible spa at the mountain resort. From the moment we checked in, we were instructed to turn off devices. And if the signs and staff reminders weren’t enough, the rock walls stopped my service.
Lesson learned: Work, my mother, and Groupon can live without me for 8 hours. Maybe 6.
In many other aspects of vacation, I need to be connected. Scan bar code for airline check-in. Show my car reservation code. Use GPS to get to resort. Obsessively check the weather at every location we’ll be going to a few times an hour. Take hubby’s photo in front of the cool car. Pay with PayPal. Look up amenities on the resort web site. Find the hotel reservation number. Book an OpenTable dinner reservation. Download and use the PGA app during the championship. Tell husband to stop posting photos on Facebook like a high school girl. And leaving the PGA with tens of thousands of people, follow their recommendation to use Uber. With two phone battery packs, I had just enough power to order an Uber. I was surprised at my fare, which included a tip, peak surcharge, and event fee. I’m fairly certain a traditional cab would’ve been less and I wouldn’t have had to wait in a chaotic Uber lot the PGA set up in a church parking lot.
Lesson learned: While the trend of renting out yourself, your car, your home, and your stuff continues, laws of (reality? taxes? convenience?) are reducing the cost savings. Don’t assume the cool apps are less expensive anymore; shop around.
I have so many more lessons I took away, but one work lesson I’ve learned is, keep blog posts to a readable length. Instead, please share one of your lessons learned. After all, their value is in sharing.
PGA Championship 2017, Quail Hollow
Lesson Learned – book a vacation at the resort that will both shame me with looks from the staff and block me with rock walls so I do not look at work email while on PTO. Love it.
Thanks for sharing these great lessons learned (and Deb, it’s so “you” to be thinking about how to share them with us, even while you’re on vacation).Just back from the UK, I’m all for planning mid-morning and mid-afternoon tea breaks. Then definitely sign me up for the walking 1 on 1s — I’ll need them to work off the scones and clotted cream!
Thanks for the great lessons to be learned (Deb, so “you” to be thinking of how to share them with us, even while you’re on vacation). Just back from the UK, I’m all for planning mid-morning and mid-afternoon tea breaks. Then definitely sign me up for the walking 1 – 1 — I’ll need them to work off the scones and clotted cream!