Nurture Notes- June 5, 2019
In April, I took a two-day personal retreat to Serenbe Farms a local inn outside of Atlanta and it was heavenly. Personal retreats give you a chance to pause and spend time nurturing a very important relationship- the one with yourself! I’m aware that my lifestyle and means allowed me to take off a couple of days and stay at an inn, and for this I am grateful. Whether your lifestyle and responsibilities allow you to take a few days or a few hours, making space in your life for a personal retreat is a gift of self-love. Taking time for quiet, reflection, creative brainstorming, and relaxation can have immediate positive benefits for your overall health, relationships, and work. Emerging from a personal retreat feeling well-rested and refreshed can change your outlook, impact the way you communicate with others, and motivate you to pursue your goals. If you find that you’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked, underappreciated, and need space, a personal retreat might be a good way to hit the “reset” button.
If you want to start planning a personal retreat consider the following:
Time and timing: How much time are you able to devote to a personal retreat? Look at your calendar and pencil a retreat in- a few hours, a half-day, a full day, several days, or a week. If you try to find the “perfect” time for a personal retreat- there isn’t one. Just like there isn’t a “right” time to get married, have children, take a vacation, etc. Make the time- you’re worth it.
Help you will need: In order to take the time you need, who will you need help from? A spouse, friend, nanny, coworker, family member? Identify your helpers and be clear about what you specifically need help with and when. If you’re planning for childcare or work coverage, ask a few people to be “back-up” support, just in case. Give all of your helpers a copy of your needs, who’s responsible, who’s back-up, how to get in touch with each other, etc.
Location: Where will you be retreating? You want to create an environment where you will have headspace. This means that you will need physical distance from reminders of your day-to-day responsibilities. A personal retreat in your home is not likely to give you the space you need. Even if you’re only taking a few hours of retreat time, plan to go somewhere outside of your home (e.g., park, spa, retreat center, lake, etc.) If you’re planning to stay somewhere, choose someplace quiet. Inns, airbnb, friends’ second homes, and VRBO are good places to check out. Consider access to resources (e.g., groceries, laundry) and personal safety. Solitude can be nice, but you may want to see other human beings and feel that your personal safety is not at risk.
Your goal: What will be the goal of your retreat? Have a general idea about why you are taking the retreat (e.g., personal reflection about work goals, relaxation, creative brainstorming for a particular project, etc.). “Doing nothing” is a great (and challenging!) goal. Deciding on a goal will help you plan your travel needs, retreat schedule, and what you need to bring.
Supplies and resources: Depending on your timeline and setting, what supplies and resources will you need? 1) Basics- foods/beverages that you love, comfortable clothing for a variety of activities, toiletries, household items (e.g., trash bags, cooking utensils, coffeemaker), blankets, towels, etc. 2) Retreat supplies- paper, art supplies, yoga mat, journals, books, music, magazines, meditation cushion, etc. 3) Technology- internet access, tablets, computers, phone, etc. 4) Outdoors items- sunscreen, bug spray, coat/jacket, hat, sunglasses, walking/running shoes, umbrella, etc.
A schedule: Create a loose schedule for your time/days. For my two day retreat I devised a daily schedule with several time blocks devoted to creative strategizing for my business. I also included meal times, blocks for meditation and yoga, times for outdoor walks/runs, and plenty of time for relaxation/reading.
Boundaries: The final piece to consider in planning a personal retreat is boundaries around work, phone calls, email, texts, etc. If you’re away from a partner, spouse, children, boss, etc. you will need to set some boundaries around when you are available to talk, return emails, and the like. I strongly recommend silencing your devices (or shutting them off completely) for as long as is tolerable and feasible for you. If you’re using laptops or tablets for your retreat activities consider turning off notifications for email and texts. Keep in mind the reason why you took the time for a personal retreat. Be clear about your boundaries before you leave and abide by them. If you’re going to take time away, make the most of it!!
