I am writing to you from one of my favorite places—Lake Como, Italy. The lake against the mountains—breathtaking. The smell of the fresh water—familiar. The hugs from our friends upon arrival—priceless!

 

I have greatly looked forward to this trip. It’s been a busy year on all fronts of my life, and I simply can’t wait to relax, recover and rejuvenate. This photo shows one of my favorite spots to simply “be.” I bring a lounge chair, a book, some water and, of course, some wine, to read, take in the sparkly water and watch the ferries transport happy travelers to and fro.

 

Lake Como is our first stop of a 3 ½ week trip. (*Gasp!*) Yep, you read that right. From here, we stop in Venice for a couple of nights and then island hop around Croatia. Yes, it’s a long time, and yes, there are TONS of things to do for the business. BUT, what I’ve learned over time and try to instill in everyone I know is that R&R is as MANDATORY as productivity.

 

When you go, go, go all the time, your overtasked, stressed brain loses its ability to focus, plan and solve complex issues. Productivity takes a real hit. And the work of Mark Rosekind shows how vacation greatly improves productivity. Additionally, that improvement lasts for 6 weeks after your holiday.

 

So, plan your next vacation, if you haven’t already. Also, you will still hear from me while I’m gone. The journals are pre-written, but I may interject with tales from the trip, if feeling inspired. 😊