Taking Time Out to Reflect? Why Not Try a Personal Offsite?

You’ve heard of corporate “offsites” or work “offsites,” right? There’s a good chance you’ve done one. Why not try a “personal” offsite… for taking time out to reflect?

Back when I was working for Big Corpa, “offsites” were a big thing.

Originally for management teams and other big shots, the concept was a decent idea. I try not to give C-suiters any more credit than they deserve, but the idea has spread… so it must be good.

So, even though they’re traditionally for corporate types and other big org’s needing an excuse to treat themselves well, have you ever heard of taking a personal offsite? Simply taking some time out to ponder and reflect on what matters to you?

It’s exactly what it sounds like…

You know, a day just for you to get out of your usual environment and do some uninterrupted thinking and even some soul searching? It’s a time to oil the grey matter and get the wheels turning freely again.

There’s no real agenda, a personal offsite can be anything you want to make it. 

Let me share some history… going back to the fall of 2016, I had finished a huge project on the last day of August. Already shaping up to be a pretty good year for me, I thought it could be good time to try out an idea I had been pondering for a while.

Hold that thought and allow me to take you back almost a year earlier.

I had become a webinar junkie as I was devouring everything I could that caught my eyes or ears that remotely sounded like a valuable learning opportunity. (Much later, I would learn these and other attractive distractions are what are known on the inter-webs as shiny objects. But that’s another post).

One webinar that caught my attention was called The Last Webinar, where marketing guy Dov Gordon interviewed his good friend Mike Seddon. If you are wondering like I did, why it’s called The Last Webinar, well sadly Mike had recently been diagnosed with inoperable and incurable cancer. He only had weeks to live at the time he and Dov recorded the webinar.

Mike was a man who had no regrets...

I won’t spoil anything for you if you want to give it a listen. He had made the life he wanted, and the webinar was his perfect last gift. You can read about it and give it a listen here.

Listening to the heartfelt and moving interview between Mike and Dov planted the seed in my mind that I should take a personal offsite occasionally. You may have guessed… it’s not meant to be a one-and-done kind of thing. Mike calls his version Seddon Days for obvious reasons. He promises they can have very positive effects on your life.

Full and honest disclosure…

I’ve done multiple mini-sessions, but I have yet to take my first full-day, get out of familiar territory, and get up close and personal with a notebook and pen, Seddon Day. I’ve promised myself… I’m taking one this spring. No more delays. No more procrastinating on this one.

Maybe you’ll think about joining me by planning and taking one of your own?

The key components are simple…

• Go away to somewhere unfamiliar, preferably to another town.
• Make it a café and coffee shop tour. Or, a long hike in the woods.
• Unplug. You can do it.
• Pen and paper are best.
• Be bold… this is for you.

If you need more ideas, Google “time out to reflect” and “personal offsite.”

Oh, and no friends or family allowed, this one’s for you and you alone. You can tell me how it went… I’d love to hear.

Be untucked.

Whatever you’re doing, take a sec to leave a comment below and let me know about your own personal offsite. I’d love to hear about it!

Copyright © 2020 Jeff Meister – All Rights Reserved