When was the last time you took a personal, or group, retreat? Perhaps this is something you make time for regularly, or maybe it’s been years – if ever. Maybe your association with retreats is entirely based on corporate retreats.
I’ve known more than one organization that bristles at the idea of a “retreat” (something shouted when losing a battle), and instead prefer the term “forward” – corporate retreats are often used for reporting and strategic planning, after all, and there can certainly be a place for that – as long as it’s not only that. After all, in the more traditional sense, retreats are intended to give individuals and groups a chance to step back from daily tasks, take a breath, and get rest, all of which acts like the ancient tradition of a sabbath – reclaiming rest.
As an adult, this kind of break can feel like a real treat. And if you’re familiar with the idea of “Treat Yo Self” (popularized by the NBC show Parks and Recreation), you may immediately make the connection here – maybe it’s time to “RETREAT Yo Self.”
This past weekend I was part of a retreat for a community I’ve been part of for almost 25 years – the first since before Covid. While there was structure to the weekend, it was purposefully designed for people to be able to engage as much or as little as would serve them best to breathe, reflect, and connect with others. A mixture of fun activities, sharing food together, and intentional prompts for reflection and conversation, designed in the “Thanksgiving” leadership model – come as you are, and bring whatever you bring to contribute to your own (and others’) experience.
A number of people commented at the end of our retreat that it’s amazing what can happen in just over 24 hours when a group spends time together “off-site” and there’s an intention behind the time. This can be true regardless of the intention – whether it’s a ‘retreat’ or a ‘forward.’ Building Bridges Leadership has been involved in designing both retreats and forwards, and we would be happy to partner with you to design one for your team – whether that’s a group of 5 or 100. Even without our partnership, though, how could the thought of “Retreat Yo Self” be helpful to you and your team this week?
This Week’s Tip:
- For your team: If you have a retreat planned, consider how much is planned as a ‘forward’ rather than a ‘retreat’. Make sure that at least 50% of the time is ‘retreat’ activities, with freedom for people to engage at whatever level would serve them best. If you need a lot of time for the ‘forward’ activities, extend the overall time to keep the majority of the time on ‘retreat.’ This allows people to feel rested and rejuvenated by the time, rather than coming away exhausted by extra work.
- For you: If you haven’t taken a personal retreat in a long time, consider planning one for yourself, even if it’s a single day off. Consider what would feel restful for you: being intentional about your time and going somewhere “off-site,” rather than simply spending the day on the couch, will build lasting memories and add value. Time in nature – “forest bathing” – is particularly helpful for many, but you know better than anyone else what would be a (re)treat for you.
Try these out this week and let us know how it goes – we’d love to hear from you. And if you’d like partnership in designing a retreat for your team (of any size), don’t hesitate to contact us.
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