Summer in the northern hemisphere. Toasted marshmallows, crackling campfires, foamy waves washing up on the sand, mountain hikes, camping under the stars, long bike rides, lazy afternoons with a juicy novel, beer on the deck, prone on the tickly grass observing the slow movement of ever-changing cloud shapes. Sound familiar?

If not, perhaps your reality is:  air conditioned office buildings and subways, company budget planning, pitching in while others are on vacation, customer meetings, responding to whatever device is attached to your hip or buzzing in your handbag.

There is room in our lives for both – no matter how busy our jobs, how important our position, how critical the timing. Our minds, bodies and spirit need mental and emotional nourishment. Europeans take an average of 35 days of holiday per year and measures of GDP per hours worked per year indicate they are, on average, more productive than North Americans.

Creativity does not blossom from hard-driving days, long hours, endless meetings or ticking items off a to-do list. Organizations require innovation to thrive.

Labor Day, cooler evenings, back to school and the sprint to year-end targets will soon be upon us. It may be a tired cliché but grounded in truth – no one says they wished they spent more time at the office.

Embrace the remaining days of summer.  Feed your creativity. Nourish your spirit. You will be a better leader. You will be a better employee. Most importantly – you will be a more well-rounded person.

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