Walpole: In a world where we’re always available, how do you separate your personal time from your work time?
Duncan Palmer: By being on top of one’s work mandates, organising and working ahead of schedule to get things done. I find it easier to carve out some personal time without the distractions and without worrying about being behind one's work schedule.
I have both a work phone and a personal phone for my closest friends and family. I find I can put one down and pick up another without mixing the two – I am totally focused on either one or the other. Of course, in today’s world, and in my particular job, you’re never far away from your business phone, and I pick it up at times when I’m away from the family and working off-site. However, at home, we are very disciplined about not having telephones at the table during meal times.
What’s one thing you do after the workday to help you unwind?
Walking to Hyde Park from The Beaumont through Mayfair is always a good wind-down for me. Also, I have a couple of unique classic cars that I enjoy driving. When I’ve got a full-on week, I’m often driving my Continental Flying Spur Bentley, which has the Mulliner specifications that offer me a luxurious environment and a comfortable drive. I always arrive at home in good shape. It’s an effortless drive.
If I find I’m full of energy and I have a steady week at work, I head off to drive my Porsche Targa 911. It gives me an added excitement at the end of the day as I put the car through its paces at various junctures on my way home!
What activity do you do in your time away from the office that helps you relax and recentre after a stressful week?
I love getting jobs done outside the house. Being out in the fresh air is a great change from life inside the hotel: gardening, painting, cleaning and maintaining the two houses that we have in Maidenhead and Devon are great ways to relax. At the same time, the outside activities keep me active and it’s enjoyable to see that things are well maintained – they're conducive to a warm family environment. My kids are always happy to give a helping hand and my son, in particular, is very practical. I also enjoy playing board games and card games with the kids. It’s such fun family time.
What’s something you’ve read, listened to or seen in your spare time that’s helped you at work?
In our spare time, we are always exposed to news items that are happening around the world as well as locally. Of course, with all the things going on around the world in the last few years, and the amount of people that have been affected by circumstances thrown at them, I find I have become even more sensitive, caring, and empathetic to people’s wellbeing at work. I’m always happy to spend time with my fellow colleagues and to help them in their personal endeavours, where appropriate to do so.
After home and the office, where’s your favourite ‘third space’?
My favourite third space would be the tennis court or the golf course but, with a young active family, I don't have the free time to play as much as I'd like. Hence, my favourite third space at the moment has to be in the kitchen cooking Sunday lunch, as I do every weekend for the immediate family, extended family and guests. I totally switch off while I’m preparing Sunday lunch and it’s always great to see a table full of smiling faces sharing good food and wine, engaging in conversations about the activities of the week before and of the coming week. It’s great family time and a great tradition to keep going in the years ahead.
On Sunday night, how do you prepare yourself for the week ahead
Invariably, after a weekend of many activities, the children are in bed on time and I have a chance to reflect on a little paperwork and to organise the week ahead. I go to bed an hour earlier on Sundays than I do during the rest of the week which gives me a fresh, energetic start to Monday morning.
Best reason you've had to turn your out of office on recently?
Turning my out of office on for Christmas is always enjoyable after the busy year. This, followed by a few days work before turning the out of office on again as we travel down to Devon to see the New Year in!
