It’s that time of year when everyone asks, “Are you planning to get away this summer?”. The other evening when I replied, “I’m staying here and working”, the reactions left me in a state of confusion. Am I some sort of alien or a privileged hero?

“I hate to take vacation!” - I didn’t say that for the shock value of the words. Although they are shocking, I genuinely do not like to take time away from work and don’t understand the obsession with it.

The disapproving eyes that zeroed in on me when I said this was followed by a full-on interrogation about why I don’t want to get away. I can understand wanting a break from Dubai’s summer heat, but not from work. As this emotive discussion continued, at least a half dozen people jumped in with their opinions on why I should take vacation.

“Don’t you want to see other parts of the world?” When I explained that I already get to do that as part of my work (well sort of, I see the cities but not the sites), the real question popped, “Don’t you ever want to get away from it?”

Frankly I don’t. For me, work is the same as my hobby and my life.

After the preaching subsided about why I should take vacation and would be better off for it, one of the guys said, “You genuinely love your work that much, you’re very lucky.” Actually, the thought of this being so abnormal broke my heart. Not because I love my work, but because others don’t.

The thought that people work all week waiting for Thursday to come so they can get away from it and then dread Sunday morning is sad. As is the thought that getting away from work in the summer brings more joy than what you do every day at work does.


Watching the clock

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, recently described what the workplace should be like, “I work with people who are missionaries for what they do.” Adding, “The only way to do it [pioneering work] is with happy people. You can’t do it with miserable people watching the clock all day.”

But not everyone is like this. Actually most aren’t this connected to their work. According to a Gallup survey, only 13 per cent of employees say they are emotionally engaged with their company. That explains why I came across as an alien.

There are two angles we can look at this dilemma from: your’s or your company’s. While it’s imperative companies recognise the reality that employees aren’t emotionally connected and that they should do something to change that, today I want to talk about this - if you’re not emotionally connected with your work, then you’re missing out.

If you want to get away from your work so much, then get away from it once and for all and find your passion. You may think it’s not possible at this stage of your life to start all over, but it is. It may be harder, but it’s still possible.

If you could do anything in the world, what would you do? What are you passionate about?

When one of the guys said, “It’d be great if everyone could find work that they don’t want to get away from...”, I was thinking it sure would. This reminded me of a conversation I had several years ago with Abdo Jeffy, the ever popular Lebanese banker, who said “My work comes first! My wife may not like this, but work is what I really enjoy.”

We were having coffee in his office on a Saturday morning when he didn’t have to be in the office. Actually, society says he shouldn’t have even been working. At the time he was in his 70s and serving as vice-chairman of Audi Saradar Private Bank. He could have retired years ago, but kept working because he loved it.

Now, I’m not saying you should hate vacations, but rather that you should love your work. This is the point that really concerns me. The obsession for Thursday or the beginning of vacation season and the dread of coming back to work is a tell all sign of how you feel.

When you long to get away from what you’re doing, you may want to reconsider what you should be doing.

— The writer is a CEO coach and author of “Leadership Dubai Style”. Contact him at tsw@tommyweir.com.