The Art of Rejuvenation: Life is a Marathon not a Sprint

Dusk along the coast of Santorini on the Mediterranean Sea.

My wife and I had the privilege to rejuvenate by taking a vacation to Europe this summer. Like many of you, we heard how awesome Europe is with all of its history, food, entertainment, night life, and more. We planned a two-week adventure down to the hour. After four months of preparation, voilà– we were in Barcelona! Our flights went smoothly, our luggage arrived, and the taxis were right where Rick Steve said they would be. “So far – so good,” I thought to myself, “This world travel stuff isn’t so bad!”

I walked over to a taxi driver and said, “Inglés?” He responded, “No.” He placed our bags in the back, we got in, and I gave him the hotel address. We tried to communicate with our hands and a few Spanish words with no luck. He called the hotel, got directions, and we were off. We felt uneasy as we drove into the city. There were no more street signs and the streets just kept getting more and more narrow. Pretty soon we were driving down an alley with two feet of clearance on either side. We came to an intersection and he stopped. He pointed down the street with a mix of noises and Spanish. We decide he was saying, “Down there to the right.”

This is what we saw when we got out of our taxi.

The taxi driver waved a credit card machine at me. Before paying, I tried to ask (through more noises and gestures) where the hotel was located. “No Inglés,” he said, and he left. I typed the address into both phones and you guessed it— no reception! My thoughts quickly turned to, “World traveling is so bad!” Fortunately, we found a couple that spoke English. They pointed us to a restaurant where a worker knew where our hotel was located. We made it! After some initial stress, we were able to unwind and enjoy the rest of our two-week vacation.

DISHER focuses on one Culture Characteristic each month. August was rejuvenation.

DISHER just finished up focusing on one of our 12 Culture Characteristics: Rejuvenation. Rejuvenation has been a core value at DISHER since we were founded. It can be described as: renewal, revitalization, recharging, and stimulation. A healthy work-life balance will help keep the creative juices of innovation flowing and encourage a culture of continuous improvement and performance. Vacations are a common way to rejuvenate but not the only way. It can happen monthly, weekly, even daily in a variety of ways.

Life is a marathon— not a sprint. The world today pushes us to sprint to the next promotion, the next sport, the next game, the next goal, the next, the next, the next…. In manufacturing, we know that a pull system is much better than a push system. How do we create a pull system for our own lives? One way we help develop that pull system is through Treetop Time. Treetop Time is time by yourself away from distraction for big picture planning, evaluating, and processing. Read more about Treetop Time from a previous blog by Bob Soeters, a senior leader at DISHER, who practices this regularly for renewal.

At DISHER, we are consistently reminded to keep ourselves and our lives in check. But rejuvenation is not an exact science; there is no specific formula. This makes it harder for us engineers. It is something specific to you as an individual. Only you can make it happen. This past month, the DISHER team was challenged to think about how we rejuvenate. How do we keep our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual tanks full? Here are the a few ideas that were shared from the 5 Steps for Mental, Spiritual, and Physical Rejuvenation by Maria Rodale that might be useful to you.

1. Be brave and transform. What vision do you see for your transformation?

2. Stop losing. What goals could you add or change to be a gift to yourself in mind and body versus the perception of losing time doing other things?

3. Give your dreams deadlines. What monthly goals can help you achieve your dream(s)?

4. Practice the 80/20 rule. Check your goals/dreams to this rule. Are the deadlines you set allowing for some wiggle room? Try to hit goals 80% of the time with room for flexibility.

5. Give yourself license to chill. Give yourself five minutes straight of “chill” time each day. Isolate yourself to achieve this.

Source:  http://www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com/5-steps-for-mental-spiritual-and-physical-rejuvenation/

The Pareto Principle, aka the 80-20 Rule.

Looking back on our vacation to Europe, my wife and I returned to the states rejuvenated in many ways. Physically, we were rejuvenated through the challenge of traversing several foreign cities. Mentally, we were rejuvenated by relaxing by the pool on our cruise ship in the afternoons. Emotionally, we were rejuvenated as a couple by spending time away together from the normal distractions of life. Spiritually we were rejuvenated by experiencing more of our amazing world which showcases the power of its creator.

Keep rejuvenation in mind to run the marathon of life well. If you have other great ideas to promote healthy rejuvenation, please share them. We would love to hear from you!

Written By: Conlin Britton, Manufacturing Engineer

Conlin has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Grand Valley State University. He has 3 years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering in which he has been able to improve processes in getting quality parts out the door in a systematic fashion. He loves the outdoors and sports  and is looking to serve God in all that he does.