The Magic of Micro-Vacations

QUESTION

Dear Joey, in a recent tweet you shared a quote from Anna Quindlen: “You cannot be really first rate at your work if your work is all you are.”

How have you created a boundary between your passion (Baronfig) and your personal life?

I struggle with this as my work creeps into my personal life given my level of passion and commitment. I only stop if I get the sense of being overwhelmed or on the verge of burning out.

—Raf

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ANSWER

Dear Raf, you aren’t alone. Having a healthy work/life balance is a struggle for many. I had a similar imbalance until just a few years ago.

I was twenty six when we started Baronfig. I had few responsibilities other than to myself, so I had full control of my time. There was so much to do, and I was so passionate about doing it¹, that I worked seven days a week for months on end. Although I was enjoying my professional life, I pretty much ignored my personal life. I didn’t hang out with friends or family that often, and the relationship I had at the time suffered.

It wasn’t until a few years later, with a new partner (now my wife, Ariana), that I started to get things together. Realizing that something needed to change, I came up with a simple concept: Micro-Vacations.

Micro-Vacations are pretty much what they sound like—extremely small, frequent “vacations” in which work isn’t engaged with at all. I go on MVs every single night and weekend.

How to Take Micro-Vacations

First, commit to a start and stop time for each work day. When you stop working, actually stop.² No matter what, stick to this commitment:

• Don’t check your emails.

• Don’t review tomorrow’s schedule.

• Don’t have work calls or meetings.

Instead...

• Do enjoy yourself.

• Do engage in hobbies.

• Do nothing if you want.

This all may sound obvious, but if it were then why do so many people struggle with personal and professional separation?

If you want to be healthy, you wouldn’t eat garbage for seven weeks and then workout 24/7 on the eighth week—you have to go to the gym frequently and consistently. Mental health is the same; only going on two or three week-long vacations per year is no way to stay balanced. We must take tiny vacations frequently and consistently. 

Since taking Micro-Vacations, both my personal and professional lives have improved tremendously. I have way more fun in my free time, and I am refreshed and energized at work.

—Joey

Notes:

1. As an aside, Baronfig isn't my passion per se. My true passion is making things, and Baronfig is the means by which that is achieved. Of course, I still absolutely love Baronfig, the wonderful team, our incredible collaborators, and everything I get to do there.
2. I'm going to be straight up: working around the clock isn't impressive, it's a sign of poor time management. And I've been a culprit, so I'm including my past self in this judgment.

Luigi, my Micro Vacation buddy.

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Related Thought

“One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.” —Paulo Coelho

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