Early tomorrow morning my wife, my dog and I will get on the road about 6:00 a.m. to head to Folly Beach, South Carolina to spend a few days with our oldest son, Brian, at his hotel Tides. True vacations are rare for us, even those of a few days.
As an online community manager, taking time off even while away on a supposed vacation is even rarer. I can’t count the days I’ve still spent too much time online checking on those communities when I should be vacationing. Will someone need me for something? Will inappropriate posts get plastered all over the wall that should be addressed or removed quickly? Will customer service issues arise that need attention?
Any community manager knows that the role isn’t a Monday-Friday 9-5 gig. To some extent, it’s 24/7. But I’m ready for a break as is my fellow community manager on our team who will be vacationing the same days.
Will I sneak a peek every now and then while we’re gone? Yes. Do I intend to spend a lot of time working? No. I get to see my son once or twice a year. The online communities will be there next week. I may not see my son again for a year. It’s obvious which is most important.
Leap year lesson #325 is Yes, it’s possible to leave work behind.
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