Coaching advice:
Taking a personal retreat

Dear Peleg,

My wife and I own and operate a design firm together. After years of having the business lead the way we are struggling with defining what we want out of life, and in turn, our business. I’m planning to schedule an out-of-town retreat for us to relax and make space to define what we want or at least let our mind go to those places. I was wondering if you can give us any tips to make the retreat most effective and if you have any exercises, worksheets or any tools we could use in this process?

Charles
(Denver, Colorado) 

Dear Charles,

Taking regular personal retreats is one of the best habits you can develop to ensure the health and well being of your business. A personal retreat allows you to gain perspective, prevents stagnation and get clarity on what you want out of life.

When running a business, it’s easy to get sucked into the day to day tasks and become distant from the big picture of why you are actually in business or what goals you want to meet. Stepping away from the every day helps us gain the insight and perspective we need to make necessary changes, improve things or make the big decisions we need to make but never take the time to focus on them.

Here are a few tips on how to make the most from taking a personal retreat:

1. Create the right environment. Where you hold your retreat is a crucial part of setting the stage. Your environment will always influence and create your experience so choose a location that allows your heart to expand and your mind to quiet down. I personally like to splurge when I take retreats and choose locations that inspire me, speak to my design senses and lift my spirit in a creative way. There are amazing resorts and retreat centers around the country that could be a perfect fit. Choose a location that is out of town, somewhere that you will really feel like you are away from it all. Look for total comfort so that all your basic needs are being taken care of. This includes super comfortable sleeping accommodations and healthy food to nourish your body.

2. Avoid alcohol. It may sound like fun to bring a few bottles of wine or the makings of your favorite cocktails but including alcohol inside of your retreat experience can potentially get in the way of the clarity that you want to receive. Let’s face it, the short-term effects of alcohol can bring on drowsiness, headaches, impaired judgment and decreased perception. Avoid anything that could get in the way of having a clear mind.

3. Truly Unplug. Seriously. Be unreachable for the time you are away. Make any necessary arrangements to protect this time from distractions. Go offline and go inwards. Having ongoing input from outside sources can disturb your process and interrupt your flow. This is not easy for most people to do and will require some self-discipline on your part but trust me, it will be worth the effort.

4. Give it time. Don’t try to rush the process. Schedule at least three nights so you are able to gently enter your process and not rush towards an outcome. If you can take a week away, even better. Allow for time to slow down enough so that you can begin to hear your inner voice loud and clear.

5. Set an agenda. You want your time to be most productive, efficient and well planned. I always like to create a loose schedule on how I will spend my time. I allow time for meditation, walks in nature, meals, work sessions and of course, rest. Figure out what can help you to make the most out of the experience and build it into your day.

5. Allow time for nothing. In your retreat schedule, allow blocks of unplanned time so that if the muse appears you are able to answer. Perhaps you will feel like making some art or reading. Or perhaps a nap would serve you well.

6. Self-care. Improving your physical state can be a direct outcome of a personal retreat. Take time to maximize the health benefits your location can offer you. Book a massage treatment or go for a swim. Include some kind of bodywork that can help you get out of your head for a while.

7. Set your intentions. Consider what the purpose is for your retreat. What are you hoping to receive from this time? Is there a burning question that you want answered? The clearer you are, the more you will be receptive to change — the results you are looking to get. It is like preparing the soil. By setting up clear intentions you eliminate wondering and confusion while in it.

8. Follow a process. Depending on the outcome you want from your retreat, following a guided process can support you in the most effective way. One of my favorite tools for exploring your future is The Personal Compass from Grove Consultants.  I also like to come up with a set of questions I want to be answered in advance of the retreat. Thinking of these questions sets up my mental state to be open to receiving the answers.

The biggest changes I’ve done in my life and my business came out of decisions I made when taking personal retreats. Taking time away for a personal retreat is a discipline that not many professionals take seriously enough. However, it is during those breaks in our routine that we discover what really matters.

If you have a burning question you would like some coaching advice on, send in your
question via email to advice@pelegtop.com