Two Weeks Unplugged - Lessons Learned on the Road

It’s been a busy week back after two weeks of vacation, but I’ve been pondering the benefits of taking the break. It has been so long since I was able to take meaningful time off, and we made the best of it. From the Grand Canyon all the way to Yellowstone, it was a trip to remember!

Disclaimer:?I know I am so fortunate to have been able to take this time off - that is not lost on me. There are people all over the world right now that cannot leave their homes, or only get one hour of time outdoors per day. I realize that I was able to experience so many amazing things while others do not have the same luxury. It is also not lost on me that without the amazing support system I have at SAP SuccessFactors, I would not have been able to take this dream road trip with my husband and our trusty travel dog, Hobbes.

Here are some of my reflections of my trip.

1. Interestingly, because I shared snippets of my vacation via social media, it became a shared experience.?We are missing these shared experiences due to almost 2 years in lockdown. All week, I heard about what others experienced while visiting the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone.?I gave tips about what I would make sure to see to those going in the near future and I realized what a small world it is when a colleague sent me a picture of his kids in the same big bear chair in Jackson Hole that Hobbes was comfortably resting in!
2. The wide, open spaces that we experienced for hours at a time in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming were therapeutic!?My colleague Jo Morrow brought this front and center for me in a conversation recently as she shared her experience of long driving vacations in Australia.?We have been in our small home offices seemingly forever, so getting out into our beautiful world was really exactly what I needed.?
3. The best part by far was uninterrupted time with my husband of 35 years, David Abbajay!?We get wrapped up in work, kids, daily life and forget to take the time needed to keep a long-term relationship really strong, so that when the kids leave home (and they will some day??), you still enjoy each other’s company and continue to thrive together.

Now How Can These Lessons Be Tied to Work?

As I bring this back to work and my weekly conversations with CHROs all over the world, there is a clear recognition that people are struggling more than ever before and as leaders (individually) and corporations (collectively) we have to do more than just talk about it.?We have to take action.?One of our wonderful customers, Nike, is doing just that with their announcement this week that employees will enjoy a Mental Health WEEK (https://nypost.com/2021/08/30/nike-closes-corporate-offices-for-mental-health-break/).?The message is ‘Do not work’.?SAP did something similar earlier this year (a Mental Health Day) and the feedback from employees was so positive.?It’s a small thing, but when everyone doesn’t work at the same time in a company, you truly get a break!

I also see that the Whole-Self model that we have been talking about with CHRO’s is even more critical now.?We have to support our employees as they bring their whole selves to work - taking the 2 to 3 to 4 week vacations depending on where you live in the world, the kids walking in during a big presentation, the dogs barking at UPS and FedEx (Hobbes!) during a board meeting, the vacations, the illnesses, or even more positively, the career aspirations, goals, and the revitalization of our employees on an individual basis. This way they can continue to thrive at the company they are at, not somewhere else!

Whole Self also includes our relationships at home - whether we mean to or not, we bring the good and the bad from home to work, so we have to allow everyone time to ensure that they themselves, their relationships, and their families stay strong.?To do that, you have to spend time together.?Work has infringed on our home life in a big way, so setting boundaries (for me it's not answering literally every email in that inbox) may be required to ensure that the more important things are given priority.

Finally, my 2 weeks off gave my brain time to think more broadly about the bigger picture rather than the smaller day to day details.?I have come back more motivated, excited, and sure that I’m in the right place at the right time with my partners, Jill Popelka and Meg Bear.?We have an opportunity to help shape the Future of Work with the amazing capabilities that we offer companies, leaders, and employees through SAP SuccessFactors.?

With that, it’s time for the long weekend to get going!?Don’t miss the first University of Georgia game tomorrow against Clemson. In the words of one of the most dedicated UGA fans, my brother, Gerard McCann, Goooooooo Dawgs!!??