The promise of a holiday (or two)…

I have been working some crazy hours in the past week. Anything between 10 to 14 hours per day, but unfortunately not exactly solid working hours. E.g. came Friday evening, my motivation and self-discipline level were dwindling majorly and I was more interested in webchatting and blogsurfing. Eeek… this is not good!

Nonetheless, refusing to give up, I pulled my act together somehow and got some stuff done anyway. And I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. I got some analysis completed and the results sent off to D, an ex-postdoc in my lab who very willingly continue to supervise my work from afar. He was happy with them too, thus giving me quite a boost of satisfaction.

The reason I’m working so much right now is to make up for time off that I’m planning to take in the next few weeks. First up, I’m going to Paris for a few days and several days upon my return from this trip, I’m heading to Malaysia for a fortnight in order to attend a very important wedding.

For a little while, the trip to Paris was just sort of hanging in the air. (There was never any question about the trip to Malaysia though, because it is very important that I make that trip.)

First with the whole issue with J but we’re now good and back to being friends again, chatting and laughing as we normally would. It eases my doubts about being there and staying with him, even if I have other offers to stay with my other friends. Afterall I’m used to his place and I’m comfortable there.

Then work cropped up and I felt the pressure to not abandon my projects. Given the time constraint that I have and the need to meet a few urgent deadlines, not forgetting the main thesis deadline, guilt was creeping up on me that I want to put leisure ahead of work.

However, if I don’t go, I’m not only betraying my own wish to be there, I’ll also be disappointing quite a number of friends who have all been looking forward to my visit from months ago when I said I had booked my flights.

Right now, their encouragements and my wish to see them are keeping me motivated to work hard, and I will also need to work smart in order to gain the maximum output from these efforts. I’m looking forward to seeing them, and I’ve just realised, I miss them and it’s only right that I go.

Nothing like the promise of wonderful holidays ahead with my friends to spur me on!