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XLVI - 95% Holiday

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Grand rising Reader.

Recently, I have been travelling, and with more travelling coming up, things are not slowing down for me.

Business is at max capacity, and I'm thinking hard about the next level up while in a digital nomad era.

Having said that, wherever I am, I am normally working as well.

That was until a recent trip to Estepona, Spain.

I decided for a "cleaner" break.

I took the week off from two clients.

I have never done this until now.

With one client, I did a couple hours work, hence the 95%.

But what I realised, is that in all my years doing this, this was the longest period I took away without thinking about business.

I drove to the airport.

Dropped my keys at drop & go, and headed through fast track security (makes life so much easier) to sit down for some food.

I rang my sister for a catch up, and waited for my gate to be called.

Of course, the plane was running late, but I like airports.

Normally, I'd whip out the laptop.

But not this time, the book was an easy choice, and I settled in.

When my gate was finally called, I continued reading in the queue, and I was engrossed (Robin Hobb - Royal Assassin).

That continued on the plane, and finally I landed in Malaga.

Greeted by my two boys I was seeing (it had been years), we had a short catch up and hit the road for the apartment down in Estepona.

For the first time in years, I wasn't thinking about work.

It was always in the back of my mind, but not right now.

We get to the apartment, and figure out a plan of attack for the week.

Three lads on holiday?

A break from work?

Surely alcohol is involved.

Not for us.

Gym was the first agenda on the list... after getting some food in.

Next morning, we hit the store... Yorkshire Tea and Cantaloupe were first things on the menu.

I mean, come on.

And then it was the gym.

Which was also outdoor...

Basking in 30 degree + heat.

A fine workout.

So we needed to cool off... and get some protein.

Quick stop for protein, and then where better than a swim in the sea.

30 lengths.

Some more reading.

Tanning up.

And a bit of one bounce.

Hmm.

Hunger coming in.

Let's clean up, and head to a restaurant.

Wait, what was that?

A massive chess board?

Shame, I couldn't have a game.

But it was on for some food.

One day down. Six to go.

No thought of work.

No scrolling, no checking emails, DMs.

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We decided to make this a normal routine. And then switch it up for the next day which could involve anything from:
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Local market.

Buying a fake football shirt for 20 euros.

A road trip to Malaga.

To see the Cathedral.

To explore some old Spanish heritage.

And one day, looking up from our apartment.

"You see those towers?"

"Would be good to climb up there, eh?"
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Yes, it was.

A snap decision made for the next day, a beautiful sunrise hike.

Some view.

And of course.

There was still plenty of flexing & lifting at the gym.

And every day was a beach day.

Some mornings after breakfast, one of the boys was still working and had some calls.

So this was the moment I did a little bit of work when required, but it didn't feel like work.

I opened it up, did some emails, uploaded some content, replied to some DMs, wrote some content, and then shut the laptop lid.

And I was away from it.

Other mornings, I would just read while he worked.

And then it was onto the gym.

We also had ChatGPT come in clutch with a translation to save us a 90 Euro car parking dine.

We spent 20 minutes trying to pay and after the seventh time it chucked our money back, we gave up and risked it.

And of course, we got the fine.

So be it, it is what it is.

But when we got back, we wanted to know what it said.

And it turned out after translation, we could pay 7 Euros right now at the machine to void the fine.

Only three Euros more than what we initially tried to pay.

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

Of course, the machine gobbled up our coins this time.

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People tried to scam us, to no avail, and the trip was sensational.

Minimal work, and quality time with the boys.

I was due back in the UK for a few weeks before Japan, and the classic British rain was under full flow.

Terrific.

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But as I returned to working long hour days behind the laptop, it made me realise.

I am forever grateful for what I do.

But long term.

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Something needs to change.

To take back more time for what I want to do.

More leverage.

More cleaner breaks.

I've not built all this to continue behind a screen for my entire life.

The sea, the mountains, is where I'm meant to be.

It's time for strategy, a new pivot, and longer term thinking.

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It's time for a level up.

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Because time is the most valuable currency we have.

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