I thought I would leave you with some tips for how to approach the rest of this month:
- Sleep more – either set your alarm to wake you an hour later or go to bed an hour earlier – the restorative power of a good night’s sleep cannot be underestimated;
- Get some sun – not everyone enjoys being flat out on a sun-lounger but sunshine in measured doses is good for you, will help your complexion, your overall well-being and your attitude. English summers are unpredictable but if the sun does come out – get out there with it;
- Get some air and exercise – not everyone can run, ride, swim or climb but just taking the dog (or the kids) for a walk twice a day will make a huge difference to your emotions;
- Put the devices down. Taking your laptop, tablet or smartphone on holiday is not a holiday – we have all done it. The perpetual attention to notifications is fundamentally inhuman;
- Read a book – a real book. I’ve been through the Kindle phase (and it does have a use when you are sailing and have limited space) but I’m back to real paperbacks again and enjoying the tactile experience as well as the content;
- Choose your reading well. Choice is very personal but can we try a novel, a history book, a biography (OK, even a business biography) rather than yet another “buy my secrets of success manual and make me successful”.
- Use a camera – remember cameras? Stop taking your holiday snaps with a phone – it’s a phone and it wants you back at work;
- Ban devices when you go out for dinner. I know that’s a toughie – when my kids were growing up it was text messaging that caused the problems. I grieve for those families who think a great night out at the Italian is the parents chatting whilst the children are gaming;
- Eat and drink well – just this once, think about what you are taking in – spoil yourself with exceptional food and (if you do) outstanding alcohol;
- Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. Talk to each other. Talk in bed. Talk while you walk. Talk over dinner. Talk in the bath. Talk by the pool. Talk because there are no electronics, no TV, no movie player. Oh – and by the way – talk to yourself. Talk about how you feel. Talk about your dreams. All problems exist in the absence of a good conversation.
You are the master of your fate. You are the captain of your soul.
