travel – Lori Portka

I was away this past week at a beautiful lake house with my dear friends- Four couples, three teenagers, one adorable 2 year old girl and two very cool dogs. We had such a great time! It is amazing what a week away laughing with family and friends did for my heart.

I did learn an important lesson on this trip in relation to my art business. I’ve decided that I need to do things differently for me to fully enjoy my breaks from work.

From this point on, here is My Vacation Vow:

I will set up my email account to say that I am out of town and will return at such and such a date. I will do the same with my voice mail. I will make a blog post that announces that I will be away from my computer for a while. I will put my etsy shop in vacation mode or at least announce when purchases will be mailed upon my return. I will do this all with love and set an intention to be present and fully enjoy my trip.

I didn’t do any of that before I left a week ago. And I got lots of emails, phone calls, wholesale orders, direct messages on twitter, etsy sales, requests for special order paintings. . . I am so grateful for how my business is growing. So very grateful. But this was the first vacation that I realized I need to do more to unplug so my customers and friends do not think I disappeared and am being rude and unresponsive. Also I would like to truly relax while I am away with the people I love. After all, isn’t that the point of vacation?

So, lesson learned.