Today I did a courageous thing. In a feeble attempt to resurrect a floundering project I have been working on for the last 3 months, I volunteered to give up 2 days of my vacation (which begins today) to conduct some of the 30 interviews which should have been completed by the end of August. Bottom line: this project is utterly behind, and in need of all the help it can get.
But my noble offer is not the focus of this post. The courageous part happened five minutes later, when I marched right back to the clinic director and, taking great pains to control my quivering voice and still make eye contact, told her I had been looking forward to my vacation for a long time and needed to take it.
Much to my surprise, the director was delighted. She said she had thought it was absurd for me to work over vacation, and thought it was much better that I just shut off for a couple of weeks.
Sweet music to my jaded ears.
I suppose, to be perfectly honest, maybe part of me was a little disappointed. It appears that the world is not, after all, riding on my shoulders. But the bigger part of me realized that sometimes human beings will respect fellow human beings doing what they need to do. I need my vacation, and think that being upfront about that won me some respect points with someone who is probably 30 years worth of experience my senior.
My bronzed ass will be back in the hot seat in 2 weeks. But until then I can bask in my small victory against workaholism.
But my noble offer is not the focus of this post. The courageous part happened five minutes later, when I marched right back to the clinic director and, taking great pains to control my quivering voice and still make eye contact, told her I had been looking forward to my vacation for a long time and needed to take it.
Much to my surprise, the director was delighted. She said she had thought it was absurd for me to work over vacation, and thought it was much better that I just shut off for a couple of weeks.
Sweet music to my jaded ears.
I suppose, to be perfectly honest, maybe part of me was a little disappointed. It appears that the world is not, after all, riding on my shoulders. But the bigger part of me realized that sometimes human beings will respect fellow human beings doing what they need to do. I need my vacation, and think that being upfront about that won me some respect points with someone who is probably 30 years worth of experience my senior.
My bronzed ass will be back in the hot seat in 2 weeks. But until then I can bask in my small victory against workaholism.
2 comments:
Come to Boston! Say, the weekend of the 16th?
Yeah for you! I'll know exactly how you feel in 4 days when I spend my last day in the Penthouse!! Yeah for both of us!
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