time off Archives · Victor Jimenez

TFP-029-How Spending Time In Nature Can Make Us Happier and Healthier- Florence Williams

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Something as simple as a walk in the woods can help us live a better life

In this episode, I am talking with Journalist and prize-winning author Florence Williams about her latest book Nature Fix. We discuss the current problems with our hyper-connected and indoor life and how getting outside can actually help make use happier, healthier and more creative.

Some of the points we talk about

What happens to our brain and body when we go outside
Programs that some countries are putting in place to get people in nature
Things that you can do
Getting outside under trees
Spending a few hours every week in nature
How longer bouts in nature can help

About the guest

Florence Williams is a journalist, bestselling author, podcaster and public speaker. She is a contributing editor at Outside Magazine and a freelance writer for the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, The New York Review of Books, Slate, Mother Jones and numerous other publications. She is also the writer and host of the new Audible Original series, Breasts Unbound, as well as Outside Magazine’s Double-X Factor podcast. Her public speaking includes keynotes at Google, the Smithsonian, the Seattle Zoo, the Aspen Ideas Festival and many other corporate, academic and nonprofit venues.

Learn more about Florence and her work. http://www.florencewilliams.com/

TFP-025 – Happy Startup – Carlos Saba

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Building a Happy Start-Up

When many of us hear the words startup we think of the lone genius working in her garage with some breakthrough idea that is going to turn into a huge business that they can then “exit”, then go sit on the beach for the rest of their lives.

My guest and his co-founder have taken a different approach. Through their business The Happy Startup School they have built a strong community of changemakers that value happiness over profits. In our conversation, we talk about what The Happy Startup School does, their origin and why they do what they do.

Some of the key ideas discussed

Community and connection

The power of a like-minded group

How making space creates breakthroughs

About the Alptitude Event

From the Alptitude website:

It’s not a retreat, nor a training camp. It’s not a vacation, nor an unconference. It’s all of those things, yet none of them.

Think of it as a week where you’ll have the time and space to figure out where you’re at with your life and projects, whilst having more fun than you’ve had in years. This is the future of business events – emergent, playful and transformational.

Brought to you by The Happy Startup School and Dream Valley Projects and now in its third year, Alptitude brings together 25 purpose-driven entrepreneurs and changemakers from around the world for a unique, meaningful experience in stunning natural surroundings.

The lucky few that come leave with a renewed vigour for life, a ton of game-changing ideas to implement, but most importantly a shared experience and group of new friends that will stick with them forever. Friends they never knew they needed, but now can’t live without.

Go to the Alptitude Site to learn more

The guest on this episode

Carlos Saba

Visit The Happy Start-up to learn more about Carlos and his journey.

Related Episodes.

Creating Meaning In your Business with Emily Esfahani Smith

Building Communities That Inspire Connection with Charles Vogel

People-Centered Workplace

Relationships at The Core of Your Business

TFP-010-Time Off Creates More Time

The importance of taking time off

In this show I talked about the problems within our culture of working harder and longer and how time off can really help with creativity and problem solving.

How working harder and longer doesn’t help us get more done and really can take away from our own happiness and fulfillment.

Our ability to focus on a task is extremely limited. What I mean is that sitting at your computer for 6 hours is not really effective. Some studies show that we only have the ability to focus for just a few minutes at a time.

Most of us are only about 25% effective at executing at task or job at work.

If we are so ineffective, why do we spend so much time at work?

One solution

Making space in our lives for clearing our minds. This can happen in many ways but most of us are notoriously bad at this exercise.

Its really a practice. Its similar to going to the gym and lifting weights. You will get better at taking time off if you practice. Many creatives and entrepreneurs start of projects and a mind clearing exercise.

Try this simple exercise on some problem you are working on right now. It could be anything, what to write in a sales email, what to have for dinner, etc. Step outside for a few minutes and focus of something in nature. Possibly a plant or tree, or the way the sunlight reflects off the side of a building. Just try and notice as many details about your focus item as possible. If you find yourself starting to think back to your problem, refocus. Imagine you are a photographer looking for textures and details.

Once your done, go back to your problem of project and see if you feel a little more energized.

Here is a simple breakdown of what time off can look like.

Short Term- This may be taking a minute away from what you are doing.
Mid Term- This is usually a long daily break – in the show I talk about my long walks with my dog
Longer Term- These are weekly, monthly, quarterly, retreats where we take time completely away from our normal routine.

Listen in to this show on what you will actually do during this time off and how it can help you bring more of yourself to your business and life.

All of this is part of a bigger practice of mindfulness in business. Listen to this earlier episode about meditation and mindfulness.