You need something different. But, you’re finding it really hard to just get that time away from work and life. Day trip! These are the trips that literally are bike, car, train, or a bus trip away. It has to be different enough that it takes you out of your own backyard. It’s the equivalent to fast charging your technology. Gives your spirit and mind a fast recharge after about 12 hours.
You will find yourself saying you don’t have the time but that’s why the day trip is so good. Typically we work 5 days a week and get a couple days off. Most people don’t work 7 days a week. Maybe more people do these days than should. That’s also the point. You want to bring great creative ideas to work, you have to recharge sometime. It can be daunting to fit it in, but saying yes and taking that first step you will find you won’t regret it. Say YES.
First step in being a little intentional is finding a place that is far enough away and different enough that you will be surprised by what you get form the day. You need to find your mind in a strange enough place that it can have the chance to jump start your curiosity to explore. You want the most memorable part of this work to be the journey you go on. You won’t get that same feeling of renewal from visiting old haunts.
Plan the day. This is not about reckless abandon. Go to a museum. Or, go to a experience in the space your going to explore you’ve always been kind of wanting to do, but haven’t done yet. I find the most amazing experiences going to places I’ve always just never made the simple trip or time to go to. I love this place called Yolk in Chicago. Incredible breakfast experience. I heard about it, read about it, dreamt about it, and I had to go there. It became a must do on the day trip in.
Take an unconventional way to get to the spot you are going to explore. If you always take a car, take a train. If you always take the train, can you bike to it? If you fly a lot, make it a car trip. Sometimes we can find adventures in just the tour or mode of transportation we take to get there. In the example of Chicago above, I have the advantage that I can take a train in and back. I meet new people on the train, I have time to just sit and ponder what I’m going to do for the day, and I’m taking in a new path not taken. I check out each train stop and city we stop by and think about future day trips I can take. Then I plug them into the calendar for next time for research purposes.
Believe in you. You’re built to be curious and an explorer. Take the adventure you’ve always wanted to take. You can’t get that week on the calendar from work, then take a day trip. Get out of that comfort zone and see those opportunities waiting just outside of your work/life. Spark you creativity and ideas by taking a time out for you.
✌🏻 Shawn
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