I used to write a lot more about the value of taking time off to relax and recharge your batteries in order to increase productivity. I don’t do much productivity consulting anymore so have gotten away from that topic. However, having just returned from a few days in the fabulous province of Prince Edward Island, I thought I would share some of my experience.
I’m not sure about you, but I struggle with taking time for myself to enjoy life. I do love my work and there is always a list of things that need to be accomplished so I could work seven days a week. However, I am reminded after a few days off that doing that isn’t healthy nor will it affect my work in a positive way.
Not only did my recent mini vacation provide relaxation, it also provided bucket-loads of inspiration. There’s something to be said for taking the time to really stop and sit and look at beautiful things, especially in nature. As I review some of the pictures we took and I remember the colour of the fields on the island as the various shades of green blew in the wind, I feel so fortunate to live in this beautiful part of the world. I think too often we Maritimers take that for granted.
The nice thing about staying close to home is that you don’t need a lot of time off to enjoy a vacation. You drive a few hours and there you are in the land of potatoes, plovers and oysters and some of the most beautiful beaches you could ever hope to find. P.E.I. also makes me very happy because it’s just so darn clean and tidy!
No visit to P.E.I. would be complete without some time at The Dunes Studio Gallery. I have been there dozens of times and it never ceases to amaze me how spectacular that place is. I have to say that this year I thought the gardens were the most beautiful I have ever seen. There is always at least one piece of art that I covet, and this time was no exception.
After a stroll around The Dunes, we were off to Brackley Beach.
Years ago, when I travelled to Charlottetown for work, I would always drive to Brackley on my way home and get out to enjoy the ocean, even if only for a few minutes. If you live in Nova Scotia and you haven’t seen that stretch of P.E.I. beaches — from Dalvay to Stanhope to Brackley to Rustico to Cavendish — I implore you, go and take a breath, sit on the beach, marvel at the view. It will change you in some small way.
We found some of the best fish and chips I have ever eaten at a small roadside stand near Cavendish. No batter or grease. The fish was fresh and lightly breaded and fried and served with home cut fries. Eaten at a picnic table under the trees overlooking the rolling fields I think made it taste even better. Then there was the best soft ice cream I have ever eaten back in Summerside. It tastes like it was made fresh only hours before. My girlfriend and I discovered that ice cream stand last year on a trip to Summerside and now it must be consumed on every trip to the island, without fail.
The entire trip reminded me how important it is to fill your life with experiences rather than stuff. I hope you take a trip to find some relaxation and inspiration too.
Jane Veldhoven owns Get Organized by Design in Halifax and loves working with busy people to help them de-clutter, redesign, and redecorate their spaces, move to a new home, or renovate their existing home.
