In a world where every day is a holiday…

Most of us are privileged to live in that world right now. For some, President’s Day is an actual holiday – work’s closed, stay home, do what you want!

For others, President’s Day is still a regular work day – but you didn’t exactly punch in right at 8:00 a.m. today, did you?

Many jobs (and I expect this is true for a higher percentage of those who might be reading this blog) aren’t as structured as they once were. You’re not required to show up at a specific time, stay until another specific time, take your lunch for exactly 45 minutes at the same time every day, etc.

Some companies go so far as to have eliminated vacation time. Take what you want, when you want. The work needs to get done, otherwise do it where and when you like.

That’s an incredible amount of freedom. And responsibility.

Today’s a holiday. But tomorrow could be too.

And yet, you’re busier than ever. You have more work to do than ever.

Managing those two realities takes unprecedented discipline, organization, coordination with your colleagues and regular triage of what’s most important.

Not that different from nights and weekends, right? Technically your office is closed, but the work never stops. Saturday is a holiday every week. But also an opportunity to get caught up, check your email every 30 minutes, get ahead, start something new, etc.

The difference between Saturday and Tuesday is blurring. What all of this means is that – to be successful, to maintain our sanity, to work hard but also devote time to family, fun and recharge – being intentional and focused is more important than ever.

Know your priorities. Know your limits. Know what’s important AND urgent. Know when you need to buckle down and put in the extra time to get something done. But also know when you don’t.

Happy President’s Day!