PMcrunch

Time off is not just a luxury.  It’s a responsibility of leadership for project managers and program managers. Especially in summer, where schedules tend to be a little lighter, it is easier to take some time off and connect with others who also are taking time off.  Taking time off helps us personally, as well as our families and social relationships, but it is also a big gain for members of our project team, as everyone appreciates an organization that acknowledges and values time outside of work.

As the weeks click by, it’s easy to catch ourselves thinking that a vacation would be an indulgence and that our work is too important to leave. This is especially true on projects, which tend to be full of short and medium term deadlines.  Without taking time to recharge, a project or program leader can lose perspective.  This can lead to missing critical, often obvious, opportunities.  It can also lead to loss of sensitivity to project team members and stakeholders, and loss of ability to geneuinely related and communicate.

If it’s hard to remember your last quality time off, the return on your efforts may be diminishing, perhaps without you even being aware. When you take vacation seriously, you’re not simply re-connecting with yourself, family, and friends.  Time away from work can allow you to gain a fresh perspective and approach to the work itself. This, in turn, helps you find more dynamic ways to achieve sustainable success for your projects and programs.

This all may seem trite, and it is unnecessary to worry about for many people, but that is not the case for everyone, including myself.  So, I think it is well worth the reminder!
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John Reiling, PMP
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