Every fall my wife and I love to travel to the beach. The “off-season” offers so much enjoyment in terms of fewer crowds, more options for restaurant availability and great weather, to name just a few. But the real draw for me, as it always is, is the water.
Growing up in New Jersey allowed me plenty of time at the beach; or the shore as we New Jerseyans fondly refer to it. Additionally, access to the ocean and the inner waterways of the bays and rivers afforded me the opportunity for beach time, body surfing, fishing and boating/sailing. Salt water is in my blood.
After moving to Charlotte, the ocean was more of a distance to enjoy as frequently. The local lakes keep me connected to the water, but the ocean calls me.
As crazy as this sounds, I love the smell of low tide. Crazy, right? Travel across a bridge onto a barrier island, or walk near a bay or estuary during low tide, and you know what I am referring to. And for some reason I like the sights, sounds and…smell.
Water is where I turn for my down time and necessary distractions away from the “everyday”. When I’m near or on the water, I find myself all encompassed in that moment. It really is my place to escape, and serves perfectly as a total distraction.
Put simply, for me, stress is water soluble.
It’s so important to find your escape from time to time. You work hard in your business. You work hard for your team members. You work hard for your family. All perfect and important reasons to invest the time to de-stress, unplug, relax and enjoy.
Just like the importance you place on your professional schedule, you need to invest that same focus on respecting your scheduled personal time. As a matter of fact, one place to start is with your calendar. When planning your week/month/year, etc., start with those blocks of time for “you”. That’s right, start by securing time on your calendar for your personal time (your professional commitments will fill the gaps). Now the hard (but fun) part...honor those appointments.
So where is your favorite place to escape? Whether you literally want to get away or just leave your desk for half a day, commit to planning ahead and scheduling time for a total distraction.