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Dear friends,
Happy summer! After all we’ve been through, I hope that each of you is finding some joy in the days/ weeks ahead. After all, joy is an act of resistance.
Understanding that we as humans have seasonal rhythms, and taking these into account, has made me both happier and more productive. The pace of work slows down in summer to accommodate vacations, social gatherings, and weather that lures us away from our desks. Instead of setting goals that don’t match this reality, I suggest a work retreat. The goal of a work retreat is to go beyond your everyday tasks and think deeply about your own work and your field. Read the literature, take notes on cool study ideas, think big. What do you dream of doing? There’s no deliverable from a retreat week except renewed enthusiasm for the work.
So, how can you make space for a retreat week? Three steps:
Step away from the routine. Set up an email auto-reply. Don’t check your email! (Yes, I know all of you put an auto-reply on and then check anyway. Don’t!) Cancel your standing meetings. I am only keeping my Monday morning lab meeting, which helps my team plan their work.
Identify some non-required reading. I’m sure you have studies that colleagues have sent you or methods you’d like to learn more about. Find those papers and attach them to your calendar. For bonus points, print them out and take them somewhere new to read them.
Start thought-provoking conversations. Even though ‘retreat’ and ‘conversation’ might not seem like a natural combination, a retreat week is a perfect time to reach out beyond your immediate collaboration circle. It could be someone you admire in another department or at another institution. Don’t schedule a high-pressure meeting during your retreat week- instead, think about people who would be fun and interesting to sit down with.
I know that many of you are thinking that you don’t have time for this. I invite you to reconsider your time scale- if you’re thinking of what you ‘need’ to get done this week or this month, a retreat may seem too time-consuming. However, an effective retreat week gives you motivation and enthusiasm, and over the long term, this increases your productivity. Future you will be grateful!
As always, please send me your good news. I love hearing from all of you and amplifying your important work. Please share this message with anyone you think may be interested- the link to subscribe is at the bottom of the page, here.
Warmly,
Urmimala