Parents - Balancing & Maximizing Work & Play While Away:

Leaving all work behind during a vacation isn’t always realistic. 

However, there’s really no point to a holiday if you are just going to work the whole time.  Plus, that’s not really fair to you or your family.

I believe in balance.  

This includes both finding a balance between work & play and finding a way to balance perspectives.

Be able to balance

Being able to balance things a bit better sometimes comes down to being able to figure out when during the day you are most productive.  Part of this is figuring out when you have the fewest distractions, when you are most alert, & when your motivation is at its peak.

It's at this junction that you can really maximize your output because you can fully concentrate & get the most out of each task.

Personally, mornings are easiest for me.

Typically, ~5-7 AM seems to be my peak productivity.

Before this, I’m too tired.  After this, stuff gets in the way & distractions increase.

If I can get a lot done in a two hour block of time, it frees up lots of time later in the day for other important tasks, like spending time with Stella.

Here’s what I typically do to increase productivity:

-Start the day knowing what needs to get done (either a physical or mental list of a few top priorities).

-Delay checking email. It’s going to reroute my plan & I don’t want that happening. I enjoy crossing stuff off my list as it gets done & email is going to hinder this.

-My email protocol is as follows: scan first, flag important stuff, respond to what needs a response & ignore (& ideally delete) what's unnecessary. This strategy might not work for you, but it generally works for me.  Disclaimer - I'm not great at clearing or organizing inboxes.

-Avoid triggers. Negative news triggers me. I’ve stopped consuming it in the morning to avoid throwing off my day.  You can ask AI to summarize the top headlines based on informative &/or uplifting topics that you want to read. 

-I rarely check social media in the morning. When I do check it, I'm not on there for long. Again, this needs to work for you.

When travelling, I let Stella sleep in to protect her rest & her immune system. I get an early start to put in a few hours before she wakes up. This is when I can control distractions.  It’s quiet, I’m rested, & I can maximize my productivity. I can’t concentrate as effectively later in the day, so my output lags. There’s no point in wasting time, so I move unfinished tasks to the next morning if they can wait. 

After she wakes, we eat and start the day. 

Getting out to explore, fitting in physical exercise, going to the beach or just walking around a new city are all resets & how we might spend the day while travelling.  I use these tasks as opportunities to spend time with Stella, get outdoors, see new sites and feel more energized.  I can fully focus because I've already gotten done what needed to get done by getting an early & productive start.  I'm now ready to go.  I'm fully present.

I may briefly return to work later that evening, but typically it’s more to jot down ideas & think about what needs to get done the following day.  I may check emails or socials later on, but I don’t often even do that while travelling. If it’s urgent, they’ll text. Anyway, it's also safest to wait to post about your travels until after you return home. 

Figure out what works best for you while away.

If you can avoid work altogether while travelling, good for you!  

Whatever you decide, try to compartmentalize.

When you work, work. 

When you play, play. 

Give what you are doing your full attention.  This leads to less guilt & more productivity out of each task.

Decide your boundaries with AI as well. 

For me, I’m considerate of AI & its environmental impacts, but I also see its many benefits. 

Again, it's all about balance. 

I’ve decided to use AI to speed up & automate some tasks, but only as needed.

 Automating can lead to fewer errors, enhanced productivity, and more time with your family. 

Concerned about the planet? You can always offset your impact by driving less, using less packaging, water &/or electricity, or finding other ways to reduce your environmental footprint & somewhat offset your AI use. 

Decide what’s best for you & know that this may change and evolve with time & new information.

Staying rigid isn’t the goal. Adaptability is.

All this to say, know yourself & how best you work if you want to maximize your productivity at home & while away.

Here are my 7 tips for doing just that during your next vacation.

Ready to start bringing back play & achieving a better work/life balance?

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