Chris Britton used to be the kind of guy who would rarely take a long vacation. When he did, he could not completely get unplugged and resist taking calls and answering emails. Now when he books a vacation, he specifically looks for areas with horrible cell phone coverage and leaves for two weeks at a time.

Chris Britton leads the vendor management team for a top insurance carrier where he’s worked in the industry for the past 17 years. He currently lives in Austin TX.

Chris was also featured on Hello Tech Pros episode 19 where he discussed the why’s and how’s of developing relationships with vendors and business partners.

Key Takeaways

• Vacations are a great way to find inspiration, but on the next Monday back reality sets in
• If you don’t take time off and really get unplugged, it will create a monster inside you
• The accumulation of longterm stress can lead to self-destructive behaviors, including
  • Retail therapy
  • Over-eating
  • Defensive attitudes
  • Addiction
• Being on call is not being unplugged
• The company will not burn to the ground in your absence
• Delegate responsibilities before you leave so that you won’t be worried
• Cover for your colleagues when they are out and they will come back fired up
• Treat long vacations like a project
  • Put it on the calendar months or years out
  • Identify dependencies and potential impacts to other projects and plan accordingly
• Get out of the house and get active

Resources Mentioned

• HTP-19: Invest in Business Relationships Before the Business Crisis with Chris Britton
• Grand Canyon
• Appalachian Trail
• A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson (Listen on Audible)

Contact Guest

• Chris Britton on LinkedIn

Available on Unplugged Sunday and Hello Tech Pros daily podcasts