It’s time to mix things up - why I’m taking a month off

Hey Reader,

As the summer heat intensifies, I’ll be heading to Colorado with my family for nearly a month. This trip is more than just a vacation; it’s an opportunity to escape the Texas heat, prepare for a big race in mid-August, and refresh my business mindset.

Today, we’ll explore the puzzle of consistent routines and the beauty of change.

🎯 The Power of a Strategic Break

I once heard about a seasoned executive coach who takes a month off each July to reset. Despite his success and commitment to his clients, he prioritizes this time to refresh, and return to serve them even better. This approach inspired me to adopt a similar strategy in my coaching business.

So, a huge thank you to Tom Cuthbert for the inspiration. This summer, I’m following his lead by taking a step back to regain clarity and renew my energy.

🧠 The Paradox of Routine

Routines help build confidence and keep you moving towards your goals. Doing the same critical task day after day can create a sense of stability and progress. In my business, there are a lot of routines — meetings with clients, events, and doing specific activities on certain days of the week.

This frees me from deciding what to do, how to do it, or when to do it every day. While the structure routine provides is good, doing the same thing repeatedly can diminish your creativity. The mind and body often crave homeostasis and like getting comfortable.

But there is a risk of feeling stuck in doing the same thing, thinking the same thoughts, and getting the same results day after day. These things can be moving you in a positive direction but it can feel daunting.

So what do you do?

❤️ Embrace New Experiences

Just like a muscle grows stronger when you stress it by lifting a heavy weight, so does the body and mind grow when challenged and pushed out of their comfort zones. Taking a block of time to change your location, schedule, and routine gives you a real opportunity to spark new ideas.

Even with daily meditation or visualization practice, seeing the same things, and the same people daily can dim your inspiration. This is where the power of a different routine comes in.

Being out in nature away from your busy lives, city, and technology can truly provide space for new inspirations, thoughts, and interactions between ideas.You get back to your business with renewed energy, and clarity to be of better service to others.

Leadership often comes from taking time to go inward and reflect. Like Williams Deresiewicz says, “If you want others to follow, learn to be alone with your thoughts.”

🤲 Implementing a Strategic Break

I’ve intentionally cleared my schedule of client coaching and discovery calls during this period. I’ve planned my content in advance, so I can keep providing value to my audience while I’m away. In the period leading up to my race, I’ll significantly reduce my activities to allow my body rest and recover ahead of the big race.

By the first week of the trip, I will have completed the next phase of #Live Hard. So I will have a lot of free time from my workout schedule to focus on the time I give myself before people get up in the morning — to journal, not in the throws of daily routines, but in a new surrounding. I’ll be able to connect to nature, receive new inspiration, and explore ideas on how best to serve going forward.

My big focus for this trip is spending time with my family, and taking care of my son without our normal daycare routine — getting to see the world through his eyes as he experiences new things. I’m also excited about the short walks or hikes with family, experiencing the beautiful nature of Colorado and the cooler temperature!

📌 How Do You Recharge?

I am purposefully creating space and taking a step back from my normal routine to embrace change.
So my question for you is what do you do to recharge or reset?
Do you take time off from your normal routine on a quarterly or annual basis?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

With appreciation,
Huw

P.S: During this period, I won’t be super active on email or LinkedIn. However, I plan to share some spontaneous insights and experiences on Instagram. Follow along if you’d like a glimpse into our adventure and exploits.

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