You might have heard of quiet quitting, but have you heard of quiet vacationing? According to data from Harris Poll, nearly 40% of Millennial workers take time off without formally communicating it to their manager. Ethics aside, this US-based trend can perhaps be seen as an extension of the country’s cultural obsession with work.
Meanwhile in Europe, most places clock off for the month of August. Yet there are still lumpy expectations to grapple with if you work for a global firm, are client-facing, or running your own business. Digital boundary-setting, particularly email creep, can become a slippery slope. Yet, to create the conditions for an intentional return to work in September, it’s important to invest in proper relaxation now as a gift for the future you. In this issue, we explore how to integrate rest and play into your life for renewed energy, focus and creativity. Forget forced holidays and reluctant returns!
Can you ditch the poolside laptop?
Insights and Ideas
Bookend Your Summer
We love Mandy Brown’s concept of bookending your day. The approach could also be applied to the start and end of your summer break: spend around 15-20 minutes reflecting on how you have been feeling, what’s gone well, and what you’ve learned about yourself in the prior period. Note any important but non-urgent tasks that are living in your head rent free and give yourself permission to sign off from them until you return refreshed. When you return to work, check in with how you are feeling, and how you want to feel over the coming months. Identify any small steps you might need to support this.
Marie Kondo Your Wellbeing
Identify what brings you joy and what drains your energy. Let go of negative thoughts and worries. Allan Johnson, Workculturati Consultant, author and mindfulness expert, advises us to explore how to find fulfilment and live a "good life" by challenging societal expectations of happiness and embracing new experiences, expanding our awareness of the present moment, and trusting our inner selves.
Consider auditing your digital wellbeing too. Strategist, Digital Anthropologist, and Best-Selling Author Rahaf Harfoush shares her top tips for network design.
Ditch Rest Guilt. Workculturati Consultant and Founder of the IMMA Collective, Lilli Graf, recently asked a powerful question in her Impactful Insights Newsletter: “What is your relationship with rest?” The topic highlights the struggle we can all feel: although we need rest, we can feel guilt, anxiety, and doubt around it. Ironically, while rest improves performance, it can feel radical or selfish to prioritise i.e. peak privilege. Yet, as Schwartz, Gomes, and McCarthy point out in "The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working", alternating between active learning, naps, creative time, and exercise bursts is not only good for kids, but it might also be the best model for adults too.
What would it take for you to have a guilt-free switch off? A study by Mark Rosekind, who has worked with NASA pilots and astronauts on sleep issues, showed that using up your paid leave can reduce stress and improve productivity by as much as 80%. So ditch the guilt and enjoy your time off. You’ve earned it.
Embrace Dérive
Now you’ve ‘bookended’ your summer holiday with some time and space for reflection, and siestas, it’s time to unplan the in-between. Taking inspiration from Guy Debord's playful concept of "dérive", or drifting, a technique for walking as an artistic practice, to immerse yourself in the experience of life versus living through the lens of your phone. Consider experimenting with creating space for serendipity in your day.
Out of Office
Featured
If you’re looking to plan for a more intentional post summer return to work, we have you covered. We are running our work-life integration reset in September. If you are interested in the details or signing up for a group workshop or a 1-1, please register your interest below:
We are celebrating our 4th birthday at Workculturati HQ. A big thank you to all who have supported us, cheered us on, worked with us and shared learning experiences. It’s been a phenomenal business ride, all while integrating the juggle of life: having kids and managing caring responsibilities. Thank you for all the rich learning experiences… and here’s to the next!
Happy summer! ⛱️
LET’S CONNECT
Hit reply and tell us where you are taking your break!
Want to make sure you keep receiving these monthly newsletters? We promise not to spam you. Do share the link with friends, colleagues, etc., to help us grow. We’d love your feedback.
ABOUT THE SYNC
Monthly reflections on culture. Ideas to sync work with life.
