Do you need a working retreat for your business? My favorite ones are the ones I take with friends! At my recent working retreat with my friend Angelica Marie, we actually recorded a whole podcast episode about our experience! Listen in as we share what we did, how we planned for it, and how things actually pivoted once we arrived!
What is a Working Retreat?
I’ve always been a fan of working retreats—they’re something I do regularly in my business in order to dedicate focused time to work. A working retreat is time away from your daily life where you can plan in your business or even work on a particular project.
When Should You Plan a Working Retreat?
So many of us creative entrepreneurs and educators are in it for the love of the art. Our passions led us down the path to business, ultimately forcing many of us to figure out the admin and task oriented side of things through trial and error.
Working retreats allow you to have a lot of time to focus where it’s needed in our business. On this particular trip with Angelica, we focused on our own marketing efforts for the rest of the year.
Back in episode 147, I shared how I actually don’t start my year until Q2, which means if you’re waiting for the new year to start planning something new, you don’t have to. We developed brand new Q3 and Q4 marketing plans in Q2!
Structuring Your Work Retreat
Every working retreat is structured a little different. Compared to my previous working retreats, we very intentionally planned a lot of content creation for this retreat—this meant that we packed a ton of outfits. Because it was a very creative process and project, we decided to go into with a free-flowing.
We planned shot lists and ideas of what we wanted and needed, but when we got there, we pivoted immediately, because the spa was calling. Instead of pressuring ourselves into the work, we were able to take 2.5 hours to relax, which really set us up for the work we needed to do.
Finding the Right Fit for Working Retreats
The key to a successful working retreat with friends is to find the right fit for the retreat. Who do you work with? Who is flexible the same way that you are? Who can bring out your creativity? This makes all the difference in what you accomplish while you’re there.
To prepare for finding out if someone is the right fit, consider coworking with them and see how you feel after. Know what goals you have and if they align with each other.
Finding Motivation and Being Open to Possibilities
One of the most powerful opportunities that a working retreat offers is the encouragement and opinion of another colleague. Having someone with you outside of your own home or normal working environment gives way to so many possibilities, but also provides motivation.
The key to getting the most out of working with someone else is to be open to those possibilities and what it can bring for you and your business. You can bounce ideas off of each other and really find inspiration.
Balancing Solo Work vs. Cowork
Self-awareness also plays a huge role in the success of your working retreats. If you need time to work alone to stay on task and become structured, make time for it. During our own working retreat, we did separate for a time to get some work done in order to focus and be productive on our own tasks.
How to Get Started with Working Retreats
If you’re brand new to working retreats, you may not be ready to spend the money on a hotel or get away. Angelica and I actually started by coworking in hotel lobbies to get the vibe to see if it was a good fit. This is an easy way to try it out or even explore the concept before you commit to it. Consider your public library as well.
What Should I Do at My Working Retreat?
While our retreat was very specific to planning out our marketing content, there are so many other things you can work on, including:
Learning a new tool or skill
Testing out new gear or equipment
Refreshing your systems
Updating your website
Auditing your business and time
Outreach for business
If there are a lot of things piling up in the background of your business, it’s time to plan a retreat.
How Often Should I Plan a Working Retreat?
A minimum, you should plan a working retreat once a year. We recommend to do a quarterly working retreat though. Find what works best for you and your business!
Unpopular Opinion on Working Retreats
Just because you see everyone else doing it, doesn’t mean you have to. Only plan a working retreat if you want to or need one.
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