space is the place

If you're taking some time off this month, it's worth spending a bit of time thinking about your intentions for that time. Aside from "exploring Cornwall" or "fixing the shed", for most of us, getting some downtime and some 'headspace' is a crucial component. Have you got some big career decisions looming? Do you want answers from the summer period, or just a better understanding of yourself so that you can guide the best decisions for you? Are you just looking forward to the novelty of waking up somewhere new, or do you need to try and find something new while you're there? Holidays are no different from work in this sense: defining the intentions and getting clear on the outcomes really matters.

But if you're like me (and most people I work with!), the tactics for how to get there really matter, too. Because you want to relax, but you also have to battle the annoying part of yourself that feels guilty for downing tools, or the part that gets 'work FOMO' - that feeling that something important will happen the day you go off on leave. You might feel that compulsion to be 'quickly checking in' with email on days when you should be exploring the coastline, or making decisions about finances when you should only be making decisions about fish and chips. And whilst it's true that a lot of the best decisions come from the grey space in between relaxation and work, we need to fully let go in order to fully see the full horizon of possibilities.

So this week, here are a few quick questions that I hope help you to be clearer on your intentions for the break, followed by a few tactical questions that might help you make the best of this time.

Intentions:

- Are there big questions I need to get some clarity on?

- If I didn't 'solve' them outright, what would 'move it along' look like? (the difference between clearer and clear)

- What will I feel if this time is successfully used?

- Am I open to the unexpected?

Tactics:

- Who do I need to tell so that they can help me create the right space for relaxation - or even hold me accountable so I feel like like I have the permission to full switch off? (partner, family, work colleagues, etc)

- Where might distractions come from? (e.g. screens? emails? whatsapp messages? my own head? etc)

- What can I do practically around these (e.g. use a phone blocker like QualityTime or Freedom for screens, Out Of Office and team protocols for emails, delete whatsapp, journaling to converse with the 'lizard brain', etc)?

- How can I create more space than feels comfortable right now?

- (and this last one especially for the perfectionists and entrepreneurs..) Do I manage myself with the same level of kindness and compassion with which I manage others?

Of course, I write this as much as a reminder to myself as it is to you. I'll let you know how I get on in a couple of weeks!