E5: Take a Break and Reflect

Episode Title: Take a Break and Reflect

For the last episode of 2020, I’d like to contemplate the value of taking a break and reflecting.

Two weeks ago I came across this quote: “Just because you take breaks doesn’t mean you’re broken.” By Curtis Tyrone Jones.

I laughed out loud – but I was already feeling a bit broken – broken because I wasn’t taking breaks. Running my own business, launching a podcast and taking care of three daughters with my amazing husband is a pretty full plate.

No matter what your situation is, I bet you need a break too. Taking time to rest and reflect enables you to be “the best person you can be” – in your work, with your family, as a friend, as a neighbor.

Let’s go back to my guests from the first four episodes who also talked about the value of taking a break and reflecting…

Elliot takes time to capture leadership practices every year… 

“I have an Evernote that I started seven years ago called leadership. And, and when something goes right, really right, or something goes really wrong, I try and think about it and say, okay, what just happened here? I have this running list of the five or 10 big things I've learned and those are the things that guide me”

Kelly took time to think about how to connect with her team during the lockdown…

“One of the big breakthrough moments for me, as I would say that the first, five to eight weeks of our national lockdown. I would spend three or four hours a week personally, thinking about what questions I was going to ask my team and how it was both a way to get better information and advice and to learn, to listen better.”

Marcel creates space for personal moments and to make sure he’s measuring the right things…

“Make sure that I can have in-between space to tackle things which are more interpersonal, Moments versus just quantified KPIs that I've got to meet. I'm always thinking I could be better at being productive but then I realized that. I'm already measuring the wrong things.”

And Mandy uses her power of introversion to create personal internal assessment tools…

“There's always some way in which you can push yourself further. Achieve more, do more, be more I think figuring out how to develop internal barometers. Yes, I did a good job. No, I didn't do a good job. yes. This situation went well. No, it didn't. those sorts of personal internal assessment tools are worth taking the time to develop.”

I love these examples of every day leaders developing different practices to take a break and reflect. And it looks different for all of us.

Taking a break allows us to think and visualize new ideas. Instead of being in transactional mode, resting reignites our ability to imagine future possibilities, of what could be – in all areas of our life.

There is lots of advice on how to recharge…exercise, read, meditate or pray, go outside, do something you enjoy, help someone, make something, or simply do nothing…

For me, I’m going on an 8-day silent retreat at a monastery in Massachusetts. I’ve never done anything like this before. I hope to find rest there. I anticipate time to reflect on many areas of my life. I look forward to letting my mind wander.

So what does taking a break and reflecting this season look like for you? What is ONE thing you could do to let your mind wander and refresh? What areas of your life could use some reflection?

While most of us are more than happy for 2020 to end, what will make 2021 better? Imagine the ways you can contribute to making 2021 a great year.

My hope is that you will carve out time – even if it’s inconvenient and challenging – to think, to rest, to just be. And to be inspired in making 2021 a great year, and a year of reflection throughout the year…