I think congratulations are in order. I congratulate me! There you go, I did it!

What is this fantastic achievement, you may well ask? Well, it’s very simple; I’ve just had two weeks’ annual leave and I didn’t open a single email! I know it’s not much, but for me, with the current workload, staff issues and cash-flow problems, it was a real feat, and yes, I’m going to celebrate it!

To be fair, I only managed this feat due to a huge threat from one of my closest colleagues – you know, the kind of colleague who stops your ranting with kind words of support or just laughs at you! The one who blocks the exit so you can’t fly out of the office and tell staff/GP/patients what you really think of them. She who calmly brings you down from that precipice you’re clinging on to. Anyway, she kindly said that she’d keep on top of my emails and deal with anything that was required. BUT, and here’s the threat, if she saw any evidence that I’d accessed my emails, she’d stop and I’d have to deal with them on my return. If you knew her, you’d know that she’d certainly keep her side of the bargain.

So, I dutifully obeyed, and I’ve just had the most relaxing staycation, with wonderful weather, Olympics on tap, and I didn’t have 952 emails awaiting my return. The furthest I drove was to the local Aldi. I went further on my bike! I swam in the sea every day, as I have always done, and I feel so much better for it.

I’m very lucky to have that colleague – my support, my sounding board, my shrink, and she who doubles up as the sarcasm police for any complaint reply before sending it back to a patient. I do appreciate, of course, that a lot of you aren’t as lucky as I am.

I recognised that I needed a break. I was truly worn out and fed up. However, now on day 2 of my return, all that sense of relaxation has disappeared and life has returned to the grind.

What have I learnt?

• I can go on leave and not touch my emails/tasks/messages
• I can rely on my colleagues
• The practice won’t fall down / explode / implode without me
• Life does go on without you
• Self-preservation is important / rest and recovery are important / I am important
• Breakdancing has no place in the Olympics!

Until my next adventure!

Au revoir,

Me!