Welcome to this week’s weekend conversation.
Living a balanced life after 60 sounds straightforward in theory, but in practice, it occasionally requires a complete step back.
A chance to recharge, appreciate what we have and, most importantly, spend time purely on someone else’s terms.
You might have noticed there was no weekend conversation from me last week. That was because I came remarkably close to keeping a promise to Sharon.
Thanks to the wonders of scheduled publishing technology, I managed to queue up Monday’s business conversation and a midweek article, ironically about life balance, before we left.
The week before had been a whirlwind of client visits across Ireland and the North West, so our much-anticipated autumn getaway to one of our favourite Greek islands couldn’t have come at a better time.
My promise was clear: no client calls, no talking shop, no mention of Ropho and, strictly speaking, no treating the holiday as a research trip.
In Sharon’s words, I’d already turned our summer coastal trip into a “working commentary”. If we were going to do a proper working trip, we’d plan one properly.
After a bit of gentle negotiation, a middle ground was reached. I was permitted a quick message check each morning and a single hour a day to scribble down website ideas.
I thought that was a pretty reasonable compromise. I’m not entirely convinced Sharon saw it that way.
Can We Really Switch Off Anymore?
We arrived back yesterday, and my first task was taking a half-excited Poppy for a walk across the local fields.
After an initial display of genuine affection, she usually sulks for a couple of days, just to remind us that she should have been invited along too.
Reflecting on the holiday, I realise how extraordinarily lucky I am. Sharon is hugely supportive of everything I build here, serving as my unofficial proofreader, co-editor, travel coordinator and note-taker extraordinaire.
I do have one small confession, though. Inspiration has a habit of striking when you finally slow down.
Between the quiet strolls through Greek village streets and having time to actually think, I’ve come home with a notebook full of ideas and a clear strategy mapped out for the months ahead.
So much for switching off completely!
But it did get me thinking about how difficult it has become to escape the demands of everyday life.
Telling the children we’re going away seems to make little difference. The phone still rings, messages still arrive and, before long, we’re catching up on what’s happening at home.
I sometimes wonder what holidays were like before mobile phones became part of our lives. You made a quick phone call from the hotel to say you’d arrived safely, perhaps sent a postcard from the hotel lobby, and that was about it.
Now we’re permanently connected. Even when we’re sitting in a beautiful Greek village enjoying a leisurely lunch, the outside world is only a few taps away.
Of course, being available to family is a good thing, and none of us would really want to lose that connection. But is there a point when being constantly contactable stops us from properly relaxing?
How easy do you find it to switch off when you’re away? Do you embrace the opportunity to disconnect, or are you just as attached to your phone as you are at home?
The Reality of Coming Home
Of course, the real world has a habit of catching up with you pretty quickly.
Barely had we unpacked when Sharon’s first mutterings began.
“I think the lounge and kitchen need redecorating.”
Now, I’m all for a comfortable home, but is it really normal to redecorate rooms every 18 months?
Apparently, the answer is yes. At least, it seems to be in our household.
Then there’s the lawn that needs mowing, the spring bulbs that need planting and a growing list of little jobs that somehow manage to accumulate while you’re away.
I’m beginning to think the answer might be to get a gardener.
Although, knowing my luck, that would probably just create another list of things that need doing.
It’s funny how quickly we slip back into our usual routines. One minute we’re wandering through peaceful Greek streets with absolutely nowhere in particular to be. The next, we’re discussing paint colours, garden maintenance and what needs doing before winter.
Perhaps that’s another part of finding balance. It’s not just about getting away from everyday life, but finding a way to enjoy it when we return.
A Butcher, a Barbecue, and a New Fitness Challenge
Talking of bargains, I have to confess to another little weakness.
I spotted a brand-new, all-singing, all-dancing gas barbecue in an autumn clearance sale yesterday. Far too good to leave behind, obviously.
So now I have a shiny new barbecue sitting in the garage, ready for next spring.
There’s just one small problem: I’m not entirely sure Sharon shares my enthusiasm. I can’t imagine why.
Perhaps it’s a man thing, or perhaps it’s simply the irresistible satisfaction of finding a good deal, even when you don’t strictly need it right now.
It did get me thinking about food, though, and another little lifestyle change I’m planning.
My dad was a butcher, so perhaps it’s no surprise that I still appreciate a proper local butcher shop. There’s something reassuring about knowing where your food comes from, being able to ask a few questions, and dealing with someone who genuinely knows their trade.
I’m planning to get back into the habit of buying more of our meat locally rather than relying entirely on the supermarket.
It’s partly about quality, but there’s another reason.
As many of you know, I’ve been spending an increasing amount of time sitting at my laptop lately.
Building Ropho, developing new guides, and planning the next stage of the business is exciting, but it does mean my working days are becoming rather more sedentary than I’d like.
And the scales have started subtly reminding me of that.
So I’m planning a new three-month health challenge, with a renewed focus on daily fitness, healthy eating, and making sure I’m getting enough protein to keep strength and energy levels up.
I’ll share more details about that in Wednesday’s article, including how I’m structuring the routine and whether I can make it work alongside the demands of building a digital business over 60.
In the meantime, I’m curious:
- Do you still use a local butcher, or has the supermarket become your default one-stop shop?
- Have you found that your eating habits and fitness routines have had to adapt as you’ve gotten older?
It seems that even after a relaxing break in Greece, there’s always another project waiting around the corner!
Perhaps that’s what balance looks like at this stage of life. Knowing when to step away, enjoying the people and places around us, and recognising when our routines need a bit of a rethink.
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