In the grand scheme of things, six years really isn’t a long time but as I mark my sixth year at Vision Monday, I can’t help but reflect on how much has changed in that time (and no, I’m not talking about my hairstyles.)

The most significant change is the pace of business. When I started at Jobson, there were natural lulls that came after the big shows in the spring and fall. But in the last few years it seems as though those times are long gone and everything is just moving faster and faster.

I’m not sure if it is the proliferation of social media that has necessitated constant interaction with our audiences, or if it’s the persistent economic uncertainty that makes us all feel like we’re hustling more and more, but I do know there’s no longer such a thing as a “quiet” month.

I realize that the tempo of what we do at Vision Monday and what many of you do out there “on the front lines,” is inherently different in significant ways. Most likely, your quiet periods happened at different times of the year and perhaps they were more anxiety producing than relaxing, but doesn’t it feel as though we never get to slow down anymore?

The upside? We have newer, more direct lines of communication and are more closely tied to our readers than ever before, and this faster pace has led VM to some of our most innovative initiatives—next month’s Optometric Business Innovators report with Review of Optometric Business and August’s D.A.R.E. Awards just to name two. And I hope it has led to some really inventive ideas in your own businesses as well, but I for one will certainly miss those lazy summer days of my youth. ■

dcarroll@jobson.com