Just got back from a 10 day RV trip through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons with my family. It was an off-grid trip that recharged my batteries and gave me some quality, enjoyable time with my wife and kids. This break also led to several game-changing business insights and lessons that I thought I'd share with you.
Related: The 3 most important life lessons I've ever learned
1. Scam and duplicate.
R&D is a term widely used in the contractor organization. Instead of the traditional meaning of research and development, it means scam and duplicate. The idea is that rather than trying to figure it all out on your own or reinventing the wheel – which many entrepreneurs are known to do – it's better to find proven processes and best practices. effective (and unsuccessful) and then modifying them to suit your needs and circumstances.
That's exactly what my wife did when planning our trip to Wyoming. She collected itineraries from several friends who had done the same trip before and learned what they liked and what they regretted doing/not doing. By adapting their experiences for our trip, we saved a lot of time and were able to experience many wonderful adventures.
2. Don't forget the backyard.
A few months ago on a flight my daughter met a mother and daughter from Australia who had been traveling the world for six months. In her conversations with them, they shared that their favorite place was Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. This isn't the first time we've heard this. I am continually amazed at how many families we have met in Asia and Europe on this trip who have traveled so far to get here. We have neglected Wyoming in favor of more distant, more exotic places.
As we look to the future and seek out the new, we often overlook or take for granted the things that lie in our own backyards. , be it places, people or experiences. For example, we can search nationwide for a new employee while ignoring an existing team member within our organization who might be a perfect fit for the role.
3. Use your built-in camera.
The human eye is estimated to have the equivalent of around 480 megapixels, far more than any camera we use. Too often we don't take advantage of that built-in super HD camera and instead rely on technology to watch key life events. We care more about preserving the moment than enjoying it, ultimately taking more videos and photos than we will ever be able to watch or enjoy.
Deeply rooted memories are created by engaging all of our senses. Create organic memories.
I admit it, I took a lot of videos and photos on this trip and I got my share of "Dad, Not Another Picture". On reflection, the most memorable moments of the trip were often when I had just enjoyed it. This included our early morning encounter with a herd of bison crossing the road and witnessing a solar eclipse, magnificent experiences that no camera could truly capture. Deeply rooted memories are created by engaging all of our senses. Create organic memories.
4. Follow the herd.
Sometimes the crowds know best. At a few poorly marked tourist spots, we decided to follow the crowds and it got us where we needed to go. Of course, this must be done with caution. There were times when we saw a bunch of people stopping in the road with binoculars and goggles. When we asked them what to see, they said they stopped because they saw everyone stopped. Following blindly without asking the right questions can mislead you.
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5. Less can be more.
Living with four other people in 200 square feet of space for 10 days offered some important insights. First, I was reminded that happiness is not tied to material possessions. Having fewer things (clothes, toys, gadgets, cars, shoes, bags, etc.) can be very liberating, especially since we have traveled with all our possessions every day. During our trip we met many people who had sold their homes and belongings and were now living happily in their recreational vehicles. They were fully mobile and enjoying life to the fullest. Although I didn't bring as many clothes, I could have brought even less and been fine.
6. Constraints enhance creativity.
Having constraints (space, money, etc.) forces you to be much more creative in solving problems and finding solutions, rather than just throwing away money or resources on a problem. For example, we used duct tape and bungee cords in multiple ways.
One of the highlights of this trip was baking ice cream cookie pie in a skillet over an open fire that became a family tradition. We've also gotten creative with recycling and waste, which you don't think about until you travel with your waste.
7. Excessive programming is overrated.
Somehow we have come to associate being busy with being better. We spend our weekends going from one activity to another and have a hard time saying no – something we often carry over into our vacations. I am guilty of it. I try to pack too much in a short time; I miss the schedule and regret it.
Often the desire to see and do everything ends up diluting the overall experience.
With only 10 days to enjoy two of the most captivating parts of the United States, we knew we needed some sort of plan, especially since we were traveling with kids. Although we planned hikes, swims and other fun excursions, some of the best parts of the trip were the unexpected. This included kids playing cards on my son's birthday while looking for bears at sunrise on the side of the road; roasting mores; and play "do you remember" vacations past.
Often the desire to see and do everything ends up diluting the overall experience. We've since scaled back some activities this fall so we can spend more of our weekends on family time instead of dividing up to save time.
8. Dare to delegate.
This journey would not have been possible without coordinating with team members, delegating my responsibilities, and creating processes and escalation pathways for others to follow in my absence. For the very first time, I made the decision to completely move away from my email while on vacation. I even deleted work email from my phone.
Making and acting on the decision to truly unplug forced me to create some long overdue delegation processes. Was it a perfect process? No. But you should never expect a new process to be. Was it worth it? Absoutely. Now I know what worked and what didn't, so I can improve the process for next time. One thing this email unplugging experience has definitely done is let me see the value in permanently changing the way I interact with my email.
9. Digital detox.
This was my first real digital detox. As with any rehab, I felt some withdrawal the first day or two, but it subsided quickly by the third day. This helped most Yellowstones to have no cell phone coverage so there was no opportunity to cheat; I didn't want either. This was a welcome change.
There is a real concern that our technology has become addictive and that our brains crave dopamine the same way other stimulants do. Without the constant distraction, I was able to read and write more attentively. It was also nice to focus on and engage with my kids, play games and just enjoy each other's company.
A vacation away from work is the perfect time to think more creatively and strategically consider the future of your business. I highly recommend it.
Related: 5 tips for entrepreneurial success
Excerpted with permission from Friday ahead.
