LENS: Aha!
LENS: Aha!
The benefits of stepping away from your day-to-day
I may not have gone
where I intended to go,
but I think I have ended up
where I needed to be.
~ Douglas Adams
For those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, late June/early July kicks off the official start to summer with a plethora of celebrations …
Summer solstice brings rituals of renewal and hope.
Canadians commemorate the anniversary of Canada's Confederation.
Americans celebrate the country's independence from Great Britain.
The French honor the beginning of the French Revolution with Bastille Day/French National Day.
And people from around the world flock to Glastonbury Music Festival in southern England to see just about everyone who was, is, or will be something in the music/entertainment industry. (Attending Glastonbury is #23 on my bucket list.)
It also is the most popular, non-holiday (read: Christmas) time of year for taking vacation, downtime, PTO, time off, or whatever you call it. And whether you are traveling far-afield or staying close to home, taking time away from your devices – you can do it, I know you can – is essential for mental and physical well-being. Yet, since COVID an overwhelming majority of U.S. employees shortened, postponed, or canceled their vacation time. The Center for Economic and Policy Research has gone so far as to call the U.S. the “No Vacation Nation.” Another reason I am glad to be Canadian. 🇨🇦
Somewhere along our journey, we decided we were indispensable, or too easily dispensed with, to risk taking time away from work. For most of us, neither of these is true. Not only will we be welcomed back, but we typically come back from vacation more valuable to our orgs than when we left.
Taking time off can improve our capacity to learn. When our brain is relaxed, it consolidates knowledge and brainpower leading to more "aha" moments. This is why we often have our breakthrough and best ideas while taking a walk, shower, or while on vacation … margarita optional, but helpful.
New experiences increase cognitive flexibility and the ability to make deep connections between different ideas.
We get a creative boost from traveling, multicultural engagement, immersion, and adaptation.
So, take a few days, a week, or even a few weeks (!) to take the road less traveled, check out a new country, or hang out in the blow-up kiddie pool in your backyard – no judgment. You never know what amazing experiences you’ll have, or create, because of it.
Groovy Stuff We’re Reading
For me, summer reading isn’t so much a chance to shut off my brain, but an opportunity to lose myself in another world. Here are a few of my favorites that do that for you to check out, or revisit.
Douglas Adams’ Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy a trilogy in four parts. The series combines science fiction, satire, and absurd humor to explore themes of the meaning of life, the nature of the universe, and the perils of bureaucracy. And don’t forget your towel.
David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas is a great choice to bring on vacation when you really can’t decide what you’re going to be in the mood for but want to be fully engrossed in what you’re reading.
Dave Grohl’s The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music is a captivating memoir. A true storyteller, Grohl transports readers into the world of rock 'n' roll sharing an intimate journey through the life and career he led as a part of Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and other great collaborations. Note: I recommend listening to the audio book – the author reads it and adds context you don’t get from the paper version.
Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner delves into the emotional and psychological turmoil faced by the characters amidst the backdrop of a changing Afghanistan. The book immerses you in a world of loyalty, betrayal, and the pursuit of personal redemption.
If you read/listen to any of these, let me know what you thought.
Groovy Stuff From Experience Advisors
Experience Advisor community members are busy:
Dave Dougherty recently started a podcast and YouTube channel called Enterprising Minds with two friends. They tackle and discuss all things search marketing, marketing technology, AI, and digital business strategy bent for enterprise marketers.
Peter Osborn has a twice-monthly newsletter called Frictionless. It’s geared to help you resolve customer pain points by asking better questions, telling better stories, and developing stronger points of view.
Perfect timing for planning a trip … Experience Advisor community member Michelle Peterson Clark (or as we know her @CMQueen) launched a great new History and Travel newsletter called Savvy Travel Historian
While I am taking July off from publishing new episodes, yup, I’m going on vacation, there are loads of Uncharted Journey interviews you should check out.
Robert and I have been publishing up a storm of late on content technology and AI on our TCA website.