Trying to Do it All

I'm not sure if work vacations are truly as beneficial as all that. For the lower level positions, absolutely it is. It is easy for a server to take a week of paid vacation time off - there is a whole pool of servers to rearrange your schedule should you need to. But then there is me. Or any of the managers. Our jobs are highly specialised ones with certain tasks that only we can do. For me, and the other managers more than most - no one can do payroll but me and the Controller - who is rusty at it but does know that system. But I can't do any aspect of the Controller's job. And he cannot really do any other aspect of my job. None of us are qualified to do what the highest in command does.

So here I am, the last work week before my one-week vacation starts, ready to go but not ready to go. There is so, SO much to prepare - for the Controller, who will be stuck with payroll, for me, for the other employees with things that cannot wait (but not so much). Those things (and I am sure that while some things can wait, I have them listed as not waitable), must - MUST - be completed or at the next phase prior to leaving! It's extremely stressful, more so than not going on vacation.

And, of course, we all know the aftermath of a week off and the kind of unmitigated stress that THIS causes!

Happy vacation!