Vacation and the Blackberry

Why do we work three hours over on our last work day before vacation? What makes it so hard to turn off the blackberry and store it in a drawer for a week? Our work is a big part of our identity. When you get with a group of professionals and start introductions, the general protocol is to give your name, profession, and employer. That's what makes it so hard to be out of work; nothing to share in them employer column. This identity creates a sense of urgency and ownership in most of us for various reasons ranging from personal integrity to group loyalty to plain old control. Letting the phone go and getting out of touch with that big part of our lives is scary. The urge to turn that phone on when we get home is huge. Of course, I couldn't resist this time and spent about 2 hours working on work the last 3 days of vacation. Shame on me for not having enough identity to fill 9 days with things other than work. I challenge you to get out of work on time to start vacation and to not look at a piece of business electronics until the start of your first work day back. Whether you are a person of great integrity or a garden variety control freak, take a complete week off!