The Benefits of Taking Time Out
We often forget when we get really busy, but have to remind ourselves that it is so important to take time away from our work/home life. Because both myself and my husband work from home it can be quite an isolating and an insular life at times.
Although we are very fortunate in some ways to be in this unique position of having our workplaces in our garden, it is so important to leave this place from time to time to take in inspiration, ideas, experiences and opinions from the wider world.
Earlier this month we took a week out and went to visit a couple of places we love. The photo I took above is of fishing boats in Staithes. Just looking at that memory makes me smile. Wherever I go I take a tonne if photographs, the colours and textures, the beauty of flowers, harbour life, people, beaches, sea and sand, scampi and chips all help to recharge the creative bank of ideas and plans for designs or workshops. We never know where or when during the week those flashes of inspiration will come but I can guarantee that through the people we meet and the beautiful things we see, we certainly return home recharged and fired up with ideas.
It is very difficult to switch off when you both live and work at the same place, we never seem to be out of work mode and never fully relax. When we make ourselves take a break away from our home, we are different people. We breath in the fresh sea air, stay on the beach until late in to the evenings, explore on our bikes and eat nice food. We get lots of exercise, yes our days are long but they are filled with lots of adventures, sights and sounds. There were six of us on our last break away, we laughed lots, sang, ate, drank, swam, cycled, climbed, relaxed, listened to live music, chatted to strangers, shopped in pretty boutiques and craft shops, had picnics, collected sea glass and heart shaped stones, paddled in the sea, wandered around castles taking in the culture of architecture and artists from the past, visited a lighthouse and watched seals in the wild, watched other creatives at work, collected fossils, shells and souvenirs.
As you can probably tell, I am a very visual person, I adore nature, the arts, crafts, people, music, food, colours, animals, friends and adventures. I take photos of absolutely everything, my husband takes no photographs whatsoever although he has a photographic memory so perhaps he doesn't feel the need. We are very different people but we really make the most of our breaks away and live life fully. All of this fills the bliss bucket and recharges the soul. I look back on my photographs and really appreciate those special days away from home. Home is a lovely comfortable place but I can't wait for our next break away.
