Productivity or People: Which Would You Choose?

Vacations can be exhausting – with tying up loose ends and packing before you go, dealing with airport delays, and then catching up on work that has piled up once you get back. But they do wonders for us and are well worth the trouble.

I just got back from vacation recently. Many of you know that I spend little or no time on the computer when I’m on holidays – gotta practice what I preach. So, inevitably, like many of you, I come home to an overwhelming amount of emails to respond to, phone calls to return and fires to put out. And I expect to get caught up by the end of the first day. This last time was no different….or so I thought.

On my first day back, I had to make a choice between being productive and being a good friend. You see, a dear friend of mine was hospitalized with a serious illness while I was away. But going to see her would take most of the day, as the hospital is out of town. I’m ashamed to admit that I hesitated making a decision which should have been a ‘no brainer’. I experienced that familiar inner struggle to balance my personal and professional life, which is especially common with entrepreneurs. And let’s not forget that productivity is my area of expertise, so I’m hard-wired to prioritize it.

Thankfully, I quickly came to my senses and remembered that people always come first, especially dear friends who need you just as much as you need them. I was so glad I chose to see my friend that day. We spent almost 2 hours talking, laughing and lifting each other up. It was a poignant reminder for me to keep work into perspective. So if you had to wait an extra day or two to get a response from me, now you know why, and I hope you’ll understand.