Technology leading to vacation deprivation was the subject of my last posting. This time I am spotlighting a consulting client who is taking effective time management to the next level. He may be on vacation, but that vacation time is what allows him to keep up with the latest trends in technology and improve his skills. The fact that he would prefer to use his vacation time to stay home and study does not actually provide a break.

In computer programming, it takes hundreds of hours a year to keep up with technology. Since I’m already working 50+ hours a week the only time I have to study heavy-duty is on vacation. When my wife doesn’t otherwise need me as a photo assistant or to go sightseeing I’m studying - she knows I don’t “do” museums, so I encourage her to do a lot of them herself. I stay up late, get up early (sleep in the bus, cab, whatever between stops; on plane trips I catch up on journal reading). Several years ago we were on a 1 week cruise - I’d get up 2 hours early every morning to study for a database exam - saw one of the fellow passengers also up early studying - different database product. My wife doesn’t understand why I prefer to stay home during vacations & save the money - I can study at home.

Do you think that learning new techology should be part of the workday or is it completely up to the individual? In my time management seminars and individual consulting sessions, the issue of reading comes up as we discuss the stacks that accumulate. There is certainly more to be read than we could ever keep up with. I encourage people to block a time on their schedule each week when they do their “Casual Reading” (meaning it does not have to be done by a certain date). This reading, from newspapers, journals, etc. can be in both paper and electronic form. However there is a reluctance for people to be “caught” reading within almost every company. They feel it looks as though you are not working. Isn’t reading important for keeping up with projects, new technology, and current trends in industry? What do you think companies can do to help their employees stay up-to-date without major intrusions on personal hours?