Reprise: Ancient Roman wisdom for the modern business professional

by | Aug 14, 2024 | Monthly-ish tips

This post is part of our Monthly-ish Tips series.

The Roman poet, Ovid, was on to something important for us modern businesspeople when he said, “Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.”

That’s exactly what I’m choosing to do this week. Actually, I’m doing it all month, as I have every year for most of the past decade, because it’s time for my annual summer sabbatical.

Presumed by most to be a time for adventure, people routinely ask me, “Oh, so what are you going to do?” I reply, “As little as possible.” I basically go on what is mostly a staycation for several weeks, during which time I follow a few simple rules:

  1. No rushing. A close colleague referred to me many years ago as a “hummingbird.” I’d like to think I’m more chill than I was back then, but that’s probably at least slightly delusional. I’m one of those people who has to make an effort to stop buzzing around from place to place and task to task—a primary aim of my time off.
  2. Minimal travel. Pre-COVID, I spent so much time flying for work that I made a sabbatical “no airports” rule because I needed the respite. Times have changed, so the rule has been modified.
  3. No lists. Well, except for this one. I don’t want my free time to be driven by “to dos” or “shoulds.”

Rest assured (pun intended?), my time away doesn’t mean I’m any less committed to excellence and mastery and “raising the bar” and all that when it comes to relationship-building—as I think you have to be if you want to be a no-kidding trusted advisor. I see my down time as an essential part of that commitment. We all need to take a rest now and then. For me, that means letting go of the striving and endeavoring and doing to instead focus on being. At least for a few weeks.

You may or may not have formal time off planned between now and Labor/Labour Day. Consider ways you might make space for a little Ovid-inspired rest either way.

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Andrea Howe

As the founder of The Get Real Project, I am the steward of our vision and our service offerings, as well as a workshop leader and keynote speaker. Above all else, I am an entrepreneur on a mission: to kick conventional business wisdom to the curb and transform how people work together as a result. I am also the co-author, with Charles H. Green, of The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook (Wiley, 2012).

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