It is this time of the year again. Planning time and then budgeting for next year. They go hand in hand so imagine how busy we are at the office at this last leg of the third quarter.
Almost always the planning session lasts for three days and out of town. It is to give the participants the time to focus and deliberate on their programs. We are scheduled to have our planning next week. I am so glad it will only be for two days and the venue is quite near, only an hour drive from Manila.
Even so, it means I will be out of the house for two days - away from my daughter. I have been doing this since I started working, one would think I am used to this by now. I don’t think I will ever be used to staying out of the house for days. I have “interventions” to make my time away from my family more bearable. I have provided myself three simple checklists - pre, actual and post-trip activities.
The previous years my list is up to the minutest details but I have to give credit to my husband and my daughter and our help. They are able, functioning human beings as my husband says it perfectly. Don’t sweat the small stuff so to speak. For one thing, my husband and I see to it that our schedules complement. We cannot have trips at the same time. That is a cardinal rule.
My pre-trip activities include two major things. I check the school work of my daughter for the next days that I will be out. If there are projects for submission, I note them down so I can call her. This is not breathing behind her neck but just asking how she is progressing with her project. A little help from mommy, even if she’s away, won’t hurt in case she finds something hard to do.
