As a business owner who leads a client-focused content marketing agency, setting my auto-responder is nearly impossible. But I 100% believe that my clients — and my team — truly benefit when I can “switch off” and use different parts of my brain. Let me explain the magic of travel insights.
You know that feeling you get when you step off a plane (or train, or out the car door) and it smells completely different than your hometown smells? I love that. This is the first signal that you’re about to experience something new and different from what you’re used to. Hallelujah.
Time off and travel are essential to being good at your job. The usual reasoning is that rest and relaxation are important, time with family and friends is equally important, and separation from work for an extended period is essential for mental well-being. But there are additional arguments for travel helping you excel at your job that could be even more vital than the typical logic.
Engaging all your senses activates your subconscious
Just like the scent that hits you when you take your first breath in a new location, your other senses awaken in new places. New sights, new sounds, and my favorite: new tastes. And while you’ve (hopefully) parked your work deep into your subconscious at this point, your new experiences are feeding your soul in a visceral way that feeds your job thoughts buried deep down.
The next time you have to write about something for work, you may be able to tap the memories of the new sights and sounds you experienced and draw that into your work. Huzzah!
For example, as a writer, when I’m trying to create marketing content that resonates with the target audience, I sometimes go full “method acting” on it. I picture the person I’m trying to reach, in their environment and dealing with their persistent problem. I try to feel their feels and see what they’re seeing. The diversity that travel brings allows me to involve those new and different sights and sounds to better personify that buyer and tell their story more effectively.
Other countries, foreign beaches, good food… even beach vacations get you out of your bubble and out into the world to see things from a whole new perspective.
Challenge yourself to stay nimble in problem-solving
Fifteen minutes after this happy, relaxed photo, we took the wrong water bus to get to the train station and missed our train. I’d like to say I kept my cool about it, but I totally didn’t.
One of the things I like best about getting on the road is that it’s not always easy. My 17-year-old son recently went on his first friends-only road trip over spring break. They experienced a car breakdown in the process and ended up staying the night in a place they didn’t expect.
You learn things about yourself (and your friends and family) when shit goes wrong. How did he handle it? He did pretty well. Some of his friends didn’t, but they all now have a more interesting story to tell than just a regular ski trip.
Foreign travel also challenges your navigation, communication and tolerance for aggravation just trying to get around and figure out how to do everyday life things. You can’t stress about that project sitting on your desk back home when explaining to a taxi driver where to go with sign language!
Mix things up and move the big ideas to the front burner
I find when I’ve taken a couple of weeks off to visit another country, hike in the mountains, explore museums, and enjoy new foods, my subconscious mind floats the most important things to the top. It is achievable because I back-burner work while I am off, which means I completely turn off the little day-to-day stuff that doesn’t matter much.
But the big ideas, challenges or concerns — those pop out to the front burner when I least expect them to. It lets me know what’s really important to me. And often, the clarity I get from turning off all that day-to-day noise makes finding solutions to the big problems, or surfacing a new idea, a million percent easier. Sometimes a solution comes out of the blue when I didn’t know I was thinking about the problem.
The subconscious mind is amazing when you give it time to breathe.
On this hike in Norway, I had a great idea for a podcast. Stay tuned, it’s in the works!
Rest matterz! Set that OOO and get the travel insights you need
Whether you’re into international travel or exploring your own backyard, taking a break from the day-to-day is the most important thing. If you’re working in a company that doesn’t appreciate or value that, you might want to reevaluate your life choices. Plus, life is short; get outside, enjoy your time, connect with your family and friends, and push yourself. You’ll be happier and more productive for it.
Did I pique your interest when I said podcast? I’m looking for guests! Reach out if you have (spoiler alert) a marketing mistake you’d be willing to share.