I’m going on holidays. Do I take the laptop or leave it at home?

Dear Aunty B,

I’m off for a week in sunny Queensland and I’m wrestling with the question of how connected I need to be during my week off.

I know you’ll tell me that I need to be totally relaxed, but it’s a very busy time of year and there are some really important things I need to keep in touch with.

So do I take the laptop? How often do I check in? How do I stop my family accusing me of ruining the holiday?

Beach Bound,

Sydney

Dear Beach Bound,

Very tough, isn’t it? And I’m not really one to talk – I’d like to be able to make my PA come on holidays with me, I get so frazzled with being out of the office.

I think the laptop does send a bad message to your family, so I’d steer clear of that. A tablet like an iPad would be better – at least then you can pretend to be reading an eBook when you’re actually checking sales reports.

If you have to take a laptop, you need to make a deal with your family. Tell them that you’ll check email and take calls for half-an-hour or an hour a day, perhaps at 8.30am.

After that, you’re focused on the holiday. Just sneak in a few checks of the email while you are on the loo and you should be able to stay right on top of everything.

Be smart,

Your Aunty B

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