An early morning jog on the beach? An afternoon Tour de France slumped on the couch? A soccer night cheering on Mbappé? Whatever your plans for your summer vacation, it will probably be time to disconnect at the end of a hectic past year…
Here are some of our tips to leave with a light mind!
Knowing how to disconnect to better recharge your batteries
Because the myth of the modern hyperconnected treasurer is now outdated, the importance of physical and mental freshness is finally asserting itself as an essential condition for the well-being at work and the performance of financial professionals.
Like many French people, they have been buffeted by successive waves of confinement throughout the year, and finance professionals are finally getting ready to relax and unwind.
Unfortunately, it has to be said that the profession of treasurer can sometimes prove to be a bit overwhelming. An upsurge in market volatility, an alert triggered on the liquidity position, a buggy Excel macro… The little grains of sand that can disturb the treasurer’s rest are numerous!
Whether the unexpected request is clumsily imposed by a colleague or the treasurer is simply a victim of the “FOMO” syndrome (Fear of missing out), and unable to let go, the long-awaited vacation can quickly see an uninvited guest appear: stress.
Let go of the handlebars with peace of mind
To leave the stress at the office and enjoy a zen vacation, several more or less relevant solutions are generally proposed to the treasurer.
Accepting the total and systematic coverage offered by your banker the day before you leave on vacation? Not a good idea. It is indeed unlikely that this date is the best one to cover all your risk exposures at once and indiscriminately.
Besides, if your bank advisor or any other person ventures to play the forecaster, don’t forget to remind him/her that until proven otherwise: chance remains a better forecaster than currency market strategists…
Training your colleague or intern at the last minute and entrusting him with your favorite spreadsheet? Surely a bit risky… On the one hand, because you may not have enough time the day before you leave on vacation, and on the other hand, because any Excel file used to manage somewhat complex operations requires a significant amount of time to get used to.
Trainee: “Hi Michel, sorry to bother you, it will only take a minute, when I import the day’s exchange rates, your formulas don’t update, can you help me?”
You: “Hi Bianca, Ctrl + H, and you replace the periods with commas…”
Instead of blaming your banker (who is just doing his job) or your intern (who is just learning his), know that there is an effective alternative: equip yourself with a good tool.
As a source of comfort in your daily professional life and a guarantee that you will be able to let go in the evenings, at weekends and during vacations, a tool specialized in foreign exchange and commodities risk management will allow you to leave your screens with peace of mind.
A well-configured management strategy, a few well-thought-out minimalist alerts, and for the more cautious, a mobile access option to deal with any emergency, and you’re ready to go on vacation with a light mind with DeftHedge!