Workplace: Bye-Bye Tradional Vacation, Hello Working Vacation

There are several reasons why Americans are taking less tradional vacations and more longer weekends and working vacations, here are a few:

*Work defines us. Americans define themselves by their jobs and their careers more than anything. They value their jobs and careers more than they value vacation time. Given that, it makes perfect sense that Americans are more apt to extend their weekends to take a break from work than to take a one to two week family vacation that excludes work.

*Joint custody of the children of divorce means complicated custody schedules. It’s easier for single parents or parents who share custody of children of divorce to vacation with the kids on their designated every other weekend. Extending that weekend by a day or two is easier than negotiating week long custody swaps with a contentious ex spouse.

* Sweat is a status symbol. Hard work and hours logged in at the office are the current equivalent to what a Gucci or an Armani clothing label used to be. Luxury and relaxation without sweat are seen as slothful and less than valuable than doing for doing’s sake.

Chronic vacation skippers CAN vacation and keep up with the office.

Here’s how:

Keeping communication channels open is the best way to keep up whether you’re on site or away. In fact, an employee can be on site and be more out of the loop than an employee who’s off site and is working to stay in the loop by employing these tips, below:

*Keep your cell phone on.

*Check into your machine(s) hourly or regularly.

*Check in with your secretary regularly.

*Check in with anyone else you normally check in with when you’re on site, regularly.

*Read the trades and the paper that you normally read when you’re on site, online.

*Have a fax machine and an overnight mail service address available where you can send out of and receive into.

*Have an assistant pick up your mail and open it for you, letting you know what’s important and what needs immediate response while you’re away.

How do you keep up on water-cooler conversation?

Check in, check in, check in! There’s no substitute for communicating. IM, E-mail, snail mail, telephone, fax — whatever method works for you, use it!