I went to Yellowstone for 2 weeks last year. No phone or computer it was a wonderful thing. My wife said I was like a drug addict though. She could tell I was itching to get to a computer and so 1 week in we went to west yellowstone and I logged on.

We need to remember that the computer, e-mail, and our web site are indeed very important tools. So are the telephone, fax machine and our automobiles. Imagine a person sitting in front of their fax machine for hours each day, staring at the little LCD screen, punching the occassional button. You'd have them committed, right? As important as the computer, e-mail and web sites are they are only tools. It is still the person-to-person, live interaction that makes us successful. "Walk away from your computer" indeed. Network with people face-to-face. (I say all this as I stare at my screen and puinch buttons :)

I can't, every desk I work at has a computer. Ok, can't remember the longest, maybe when I went to Wales in 2000, 3 weeks. I am getting jitters thinking about it lol.

If I can just convince the rest of you to step away from your computers for a couple of weeks I could probably improve my PI significantly ;)

For 3 days in December we went to Disney World.  I am a sole broker, only person in my company, so I set up an arrangement with a friendly competitor to cover for me.  I kept my cell phone with me but turned it off for 6-7 hours at a tme.  No email or computer.  No problems.  I didn't miss anything important and all the routine stuff could wait.

In the past I have been on trips to Asia for 2-3 weeks and I just shut my business down or have other people cover for me.  Its no big deal.  The vacations are absolutely necessary.  They are part of a balanced life.

My R and R comes in January ... I spent the whole month in Mexico and had a colleague in my office cover for me.

He had the occasional question by email every 3 or 4 days but that was it ... and yeah my PI suffered HUGE but I didn't care!

We unplug twice a year.

My partner is not a Realtor so the agreement is that I am not able to check my email more than once a day, my cellphone gets forwarded to the office and I cannot check-in without getting a text message from covering agents specifically requesting direction.

Initially, the other people in my office were like  "What the?". Now it has become standard operting procedure officewide becuase it worked out so well.

Try to make the best of it.

No one ever said this job didn't include some degree of sacrifice.

Personally, I would rather sacrifice a deal or two as compared to working 52 weeks a year.

Yeah every deal means money but how much is good mental health worth?  

If I had nobody to cover for it wouldn't matter.  The time off is just as important as the time on.  My clients all take vacations so why shouldn't I have them too.  What's that old saw - All work and no play makes........

What is PI, and why should I check it?