The value of vacations

The prevailing wisdom is that of course a vacation or holiday is worth it, but the equation that leads to the solution can be awfully complicated.

Research and Prep:

• Where will we stay?
• How will we get there?  And must we connect?
• How will we get around?
• Will the rental house/apartment/villa be as advertised?
• Vent about the process.
• Do we have maps/directions/guidebooks/languagebooks/etc.?
• We're going during a season change - did I pack correctly for warm days AND cool days, and do I really need six pair of shoes?
• Can I lift the suitcase? Will the backpack tip me over?
• Must we take five cameras?  Really?

Work:

• "What do you mean you're going to be gone two weeks?"
• "Will everything that's currently in-process be finished when you get back?"
• "Are you available for conference calls whenever we ask?"
• "Can you have this report/brief/draft ready the day you get back?"
• "Will you be on email/skype/text/mobile?  At any time?"

Home:

• Do I let the herbs die or ask the cat-sitter to water them and hope they remember?
• Did I remember to cleanoutthefridge/emptythegarbage/turnoffthelights/setthethermostat/stopthemail/stopthepapers/notifytheneighbors?
• Are the disheswashed/bedstripped/wettowelshung/litterboxscooped/windowslocked/grasscut/birdfeedersfilled?

We'll see if it's all worth it!