5 Tips for a Solid Solo Work Retreat
This is not a stock photo.
I spent last week in the little cabin pictured above. (Shout out to Ian and Chelsea at Trout Creek Wilderness Lodge for being such incredible hosts.)
If you're anything like me, most of your day-to-day is spent somewhere between serving clients and keeping your worldly affairs in order, with very little time left over to dream and scheme about your own vision, mission, purpose.
This is why I believe it is imperative that we periodically step away from both our personal and professional lives to
think, dream, and plan.
In the 3 years I've been in business, this was my first solo planning retreat.
Now that I've experienced the glory of taking this time, I want to do it twice a year, one for each solstice. I got sooo much done and I feel clear, refreshed, and galvanized going into 2023.
Here's what made it awesome:
No Client Appointments
I feel that this goes without saying, but I know y'all. I got a lot of people pleasers on this email list. So, lemme remind you that the whole point of this retreat is to make space for your vision and avoid getting pulled around by other people's priorities.
Get The Hell Out of Dodge.
I don't care where you go, it just can't be your house. I found an affordable spot on AirBnb 30 miles from my home. You could stay in a friend's guest room or a local hostel. The important thing is that you switch up the scenery to get out of your routines and into a fresher, more creative headspace.
Travel Days Don't Count
I took a Monday-through-Friday chunk, which felt indulgent at first, but in the end I'm so happy I did. Monday was all about getting there, getting settled in, tying up loose ends with clients and home stuff. Tuesday through Thursday were work days. And Friday was . . . well, it was supposed to be a travel day but I got stuck in an ice storm and had to stay another night. (Thanks again Ian & Chelsea!)
You don't have to take a full 5 days. 3 is great. 2 is great. Whatever you can carve out will be worth your while. If you've only got one day, spend it at a coffee shop to cut down on travel time.
Have A Plan
I can't stress this enough. You gotta know what you want to get out of the retreat for it to really work its magic. For me, Tuesday was all about sorting my files. I cleaned out my Google Drive, consolidated my Evernote and Notion, tidied up my Trello. Wednesday was the Year In Review + Goal Setting day. I wrote down my wins, what worked, what didn't, what I want to do next year. And Thursday I plugged my goals and offerings into the calendar. Bonus tip from business bestie Evi: organize your offerings around the time you want to take off (not the other way around.)
Make It Spacious
You do not need to work 8 hour days to get a lot done. Two or three 2-hour chunks is plenty. Make space to get outside, do yoga, do something artsy. Creativity requires rest and inspiration.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! Please respond with stories, questions, or whatever is coming up for you!