Working Vacation

Although many get away from work for a week or two every year, it's still not a bad idea to take a little work with you when you go. I'm not talking about bringing a foot high pile of reports to the beach but a small, manageable file folder containing some industry articles, your next quarter's calendar, and paper and pen.

Industry articles will keep your brain fresh and may spark a potential moneymaking idea deep within your cerebral cortex. I usually scan through magazines that have accumulated and rip out the articles that seem interesting.

I always bring my calendar. If you have an elaborate computerized system or Filofax-like binder, photocopy the next four months worth of pages. It's on these pages where you can leisurely set goals, to-do lists, and plan other business objectives.

Pen and paper are crucial too. Many great thoughts have burst to the surface while digging for shells, lazily floating on a raft, or drinking your favorite beverage as the seagulls fly by.

Make your vacation work for you now so that upon your return, your work will feel like a vacation.