In 1999 I was working for a financial services company. I had a boss that, at the beginning of my tenure I believed was great. Many of my co-workers had warned me not to get too comfortable and be careful. “When you least expect it, she will show her true colors.”

I just went a long with work. Fast forward to 2000. I was starting to hate my job. I am a pretty positive person and don’t try to let too many things get me down. And while I did not want to fall into the trap of what my co-workers had been saying, the negative atmosphere my boss was creating was not making it any easier. Basically I was in a tough place.

But this is about something else

This is not about my boss. This is more about a policy. So fast forward to December 2000. I had used up much of my vacation by the end of the year but I still had 2 days left in my vacation bank. I had planned on taking more of a long weekend rather then a full week vacation anyway so I wasn’t down about not having more vacation. I would straddle a holiday, taking that Friday off and leaving a little early on a Thursday. No big deal.

It’s a little more serious then it seems

The vacation wasn’t a big deal but me getting home was. See most of my vacation I typically save for the end of the year. But the week before my mom was admitted into the hospital as a result of heart complications resulting from years of problems with arthritus, diabetes and heart problems. So the week before I took a few days to go back home and spent some time with her. I could not stay… mainly because I had to be back to work. But I vowed I would be back the next to spend more time with her until she got better. The weekend I was going back was between Christmas and New Years.

December 28, 2000 – The phone rings

“Ben, are you sitting down.” It was my sister calling me on my office phone. Her voice was trembling. I could tell she had been crying. I wondered what was wrong. Why she was so frantic.

“Mom’s dead.”

My heart stopped. I almost dropped the phone. I can’t remember what was said. What other words were exchanged. All I know is that I went straight to the bathroom after the call was finished. I went into the biggest stall and I cried. I sat in the corner of that stall sobbing. Each time someone came in I would try to quiet myself. As soon as they left it would start again. I may have been in there for an hour. I don’t remember… but what I do remember is something related to a policy.

I went back to my desk and acted like nothing was wrong. Still planning to head out that day to go back home. My mother’s funeral would be sometime that following week. I went to my supervisors office and explained the situation. I was told something to the fact of “you only have a few days… you will have to use those… since you have no other vacation days…” I was basically told tough luck. You only have so many days and as long as you don’t use more that that you will be OK.

I wasn’t OK. It wasn’t OK. I was too sad to be pissed. I was too numb to really be mad. Too young to know any better.

Back then who cared about policy

At that time I barely ever read policy. Didn’t really know how to use or take advantage of my health benefits. Never took part in my 401K and company contribution plan. I just sort of worked. It wasn’t until about a year later that I saw the company details on our Bereavement Policy. I never knew what the term Bereavement was and I was in HR. I focused on other stuff in that job. If I would have known I would have had a few extra days to spend with family and greave.

Was my boss was a jerk? Yes! Was the fact that she did not inform me about the bereavement policy completely her fault? No!

Some of it was my fault. My fault  for not understanding nor being aware of what the company offered. With this weekend starting off the other holiday weekends to come, think a bit. Understand what your benefits are and the policies around them.

Has there been a policy in your company that you weren’t initially aware of but could have benefited from?

A few weeks back I had an article reminding that while you work hard, be sure to take your vacation. Too many people forget or find it hard to do so. Well I never forget and try to get that time away as much as I am able. With that in mind, last week I was on vacation and even though I’m back, I would rather be on the beach. However, I am back in the rainy weather.

If you do happen to hit the sun and sand this summer, be sure to bring a pillow! If you can’t bring a pillow then make one.

Don’t know how, well watch this video and learn from the master in a few easy steps. You can make your own and be glad that you did.

Make a sand pillow (important for business, I know – 1 minute, 30 secs)

A big thank you to my guest bloggers last week. If you missed reading, please feel free to check them out.

Training is not always the answer by Trish Mcfarlane and

Managing up: The Myth by Cindy Jordan

Make my crap your treasure

For the past two days we have been outside. Neighbors, people from other localities and anyone who read an add came buy our home. This weekend our street had a neighborhood yard sale. People came by offering nickels and dimes and other small bills from the things we no longer want. I am happy to say that most of the ‘stuff’ we were able to get rid of. However, today is Sunday and we have some things left over.

Cleaning House

Before the culmination of the last two days there had to be decisions on what was valuable and what others would want. What could be kept and thrown away. That process took weeks. Yet, starting to go through the junk for a simple garage sale wasn’t so simple. At the same time it allowed me to find other things. Clean out parts of the house and garage that needed to be cleaned.

Spring Cleaning

To compare this to work is very easy. Maybe there are some things in your office, at your work station that you need to remove, box up or maybe give to a co-worker that could really use it.

For those that are “location-neutral,” working out of your home, remotely, traveling to and from – from city to city or driving your car from appointment to appointment – maybe you could stand to get rid of some things that no longer belong or add value to your space.

Letting it go

It will be hard to get rid of some things. Especially if what you hold in your hand, when trying to make a decision, has been with you for a few years or more. That planted geranium that you bought and placed in the corner when you first started. The old picture of your anniversary and employee of the month certificate. Maybe it is a desk calendar that holds the writing of some important project or  number (while the date is from 3 years ago or older). Regardless maybe it is time for you to clean it all out, make a decision on what you need to keep and what needs to go.

Not always easy

When I was laid off from my last job, I knew a year out that it would possibly happen. I could see the affect of the economy on the business. I saw my budget and P&L lines decrease slowly. I prepared. But even though I knew and had time, it was still not easy to decide between what I would put in a box to take with me or what I could leave.

Start off the week with some Spring Cleaning

Monday, when you get back to your space and begin the week, take about an hour to do some spring cleaning.

Are you doing anything now to clean house? How will you put things in order?