As winter comes to a close, I’ve reflected a lot on the time I spent skiing the past few months. It’s my new winter-time passion. I love it. I am not good at it. I look like a giraffe on skates. But man does it renew me.
When I came back from my family vacation where we took a train trip from Chicago to Truckee, California where we made stops at Winter Park, Colorado and NorthStar Ski resort, and then my son Mitchell and I hosted John Blankenship and his son John David for a few days at Solitude, Utah, I have felt so renewed and refreshed. And it is no surprise that I found the weeks since returning from this trip to be my most productive time at home and at work. I realized that I just spent several days recreating and I felt like a re-created person.
As we move into spring, I would urge you to think about recreation…and re-creation.
The National Library of Medicine calls the concept of recreation “all those activities that people choose to do to refresh their bodies and minds and make their leisure time more interesting and enjoyable. Examples of recreation activities are walking, swimming, meditation, reading, playing games, and dancing.”
And I believe that a refreshed body and mind make a more enjoyable life and greatly increase productivity.
At Dow Smith Company, we follow The EOS Life, which is a book—and a way of doing things—outlined by author and entrepreneur Gino Wickman. The EOS Life, pictured above, is about:
• Doing what you love: Spend your days doing things you love and are great at -- things you do that give you energy and that you’re passionate about.
• With people you love: Be with people you really love being around, who are enjoyable and uplifting, and with whom you can be your authentic self.
• Making a huge difference: You’re making a huge difference and leaving a legacy whether it’s with the world, your employees, clients/customers, family, friends, or yourself.
• Being compensated appropriately: Making as much money as you want by providing value to others, and helping them get what they want.
• With time for other passions: Having time to pursue the other activities you’re passionate about in your personal life.
It’s that last part (with time for other passions) that I always want to make sure our staff is making a priority. We work hard. There’s no doubt about that. But having time for other passions makes us even better when we’re at work.
As I study this concept of recreation, it takes my toxic shame away from enjoying this critical part of my well-being.
I also love to golf (in good weather), and tennis (in good weather or if I can get a court inside the Adams Tennis Complex.) I plan to be intentional in finding time in my schedule for golf and tennis this year.
I hope and encourage you to do the same.
