This time, I am writing to you a bit more personally. After a series of short camping holidays, I’m refreshed. Even brief trips away can bring you much more than you expected.
Less noise and crowds, more ideas
There is something remarkable about slowing down the pace of you day and moving away from the background noise of traffic into less crowded spaces. This brings mind to a quiet stillness. Being in less familiar territory gave the chance to explore, to listen and to really observe creatures in the natural world. It also set me thinking about how new ideas come to mind.
How does inspiration come?
Some people use meditation to open up. Others find physical exercise brings the mind/body connection to a different condition and somehow a solution to a problem emerges. Even a good sleep can offer this. You can wake up and suddenly a fresh idea pops into your head.
Rest is fundamental to growth
I wish everybody who reads this the opportunity for refreshing breaks throughout every year. I hope you all get plenty of chances for time away from your work and your other responsibilities so that you can return to them with a slightly new approach. This time off can let creativity and inventiveness into your days, so that you are rewarded for your research (and other) efforts with fresh ideas and fruitful directions for investigation. Above all, I wish you regular time out to keep the inspiration and energy flowing.