For the last few years I have made the pilgrimage over to Melbourne each February for Pause Fest with different members of my team. Pause brands itself as an innovation festival and that is fairly fitting. Over 3 days there are keynote speakers and panels talking about a wide range of topics in the areas of creative, tech and business. This year was great and they seem to be getting better with age. The content and themes covered are potentially a whole other article, but what I wanted to touch on here are the tangible benefits of taking a ‘pause’ from your everyday work week and doing something inspiring.
We get so entrenched in our work and lives that we often feel that a holiday or a training seminar is too time-consuming, and is going to take us away from the more ‘important’ tasks at hand. This is especially true for business owners and entrepreneurs. It is however a really unhealthy attitude to take. Just like exercise and meditation are proven motivation and productivity boosters, giving your mind and body time off from the desk to revitalise, time away in a different place does wonders. Being exposed to new ways of thinking and cultivating new ideas, whilst also being in a new environment out of your comfort zone, is the perfect recipe for inspiring creativity and fresh thoughts.
From a team building perspective it is also priceless. Taking your team and giving them the opportunity to experience time away from the office to talk about broader topics and ideas is an incredible way to fast-track growth. Even in a creative environment like Digital Noir we get hemmed in by deadlines and pressure. The office can become confining and is not always bubbling with creative enthusiasm and original ideas. Getting out for a few days and exploring a different city with the team really puts things back in perspective and acts as a bit of a reset. It clears the cache, so to speak!
I don’t think this only applies to creative businesses either. All teams can benefit from spending time away from the office, doing something different, and being exposed to new perspectives.
There are tonnes of great conferences and festivals all year round in Australia, even if it is just a day out at the Fringe!