How to work during vacation — the 100-word version
Vacations are for Middle America. But for some reason, VC blogger Fred Wilson's family still expects him to take them away from time to time. Here's how he copes, in a version you can read while packing your suitcase.
A "get away from it all" vacation is a romantic notion. This week, for example, I am assisting two portfolio companies on hires, helping with the negotiations, and closing a deal. You can't just disengage. So what do I do? I block out 90 minutes in the morning when my family is asleep for emails and phone calls. Hawaii makes that easy because at 6 a.m. its 9 a.m. in the Bay Area and noon in NYC. I keep my BlackBerry with me but off unless we have some down time. I scan email. I post on the elliptical trainer. A friend listened in to a board call where he is an observer while skiing. He had the call on mute and the headphones under his helmet.
