This is a note to those of us who feel the pain of the ball and chain of the office desk and do not dare to break free, the solopreneur, the self-employed and the ones on a working vacation. Considering a total office meltdown is just a projection and yet people are afraid to leave their office or even entertain the idea of being mobile while OoO. The truth of the matter is that in most cases, the fear of the unknown kicks in and prohibits change and possibly enjoyment. So arm yourself with your company’s or your security and mobile policies, ensure full compliance and be “in touch” while not in the office or OoO.
People do not accept change easy; it is best for you to announce that you are going to be OoO; specify the length of time (a million and one plus ways to do this OoO announcement). Be humorous and inventive; your unavailability will be accepted easier. Be clear and post it in as many work related places as possible. Place someone well trained and trusted on point to complete any urgent task while not in the office. I would highly recommend offering an emergency contact person, but definitely and heavily promote caution that the contact is only going to be available for emergencies.
The common denominator of frustration, while attempting to be mobile, is finding out upon arrival the limitations of connectivity of your destination. Do your homework before traveling. Be prepared and arm yourself with the correct equipment to be able to handle the tasks and follow all of your company’s security measures. The worst can happen, like blackouts or equipment malfunctioning or collapsing; these issues could have also been true even when working from your trusted office.
For some, especially if you are self-employed, there could be no other choice but to take a working vacation. Generally speaking, to many, working vacations could be as painful as a tooth extraction. The consensus is, if you have to work while OoO, being well prepared is essential.
Until next time,
Yours truly,
Thomas Antonopoulos, Blogger OfficeTime
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