Transcript
Speaker: Made on Zencaster. Because Zencaster is the all-in-one podcasting platform that really does make every stage of the podcast production process, including publishing and distribution, so easy.
Speaker: All the details are in the description. Hello and welcome to Rest and Recreation, the work-life balance podcast from Abbasida, where we don't tell you what to think,
Speaker: but we do hope to make you think. I am your host, Michael Millward, the Managing Director of Abusida. Today's episode of Rest and Recreation is going to be a little different.
Speaker: Instead of having a conversation with a guest or diving into a single topic, I'm taking some time to look back at the incredible journey that Rest and Recreation has been for me and hopefully for you as well.
Speaker: Why do this today? Well, today is the 100th episode of Rest and Recreation. Now, all of the podcasts produced by Abbasida, Fit for my age, the Abbasida Quotation Conversations and the Independent Minds have over 100 episodes each.
Speaker: well The Independent Minds actually has over 200 episodes.
Speaker: The catalyst for rest and recreation was the increasing number of people who, in a post-lockdown world, wanted to spend less of their time at work.
Speaker: Indeed, Abbasida as a human resources consultancy helped many employers provide structured, flexible working options for their employees.
Speaker: When we asked these employees what they planned to do with their extra rest and recreation time, we were surprised by the number of people who were going to focus on activities simply be described as catching up on chores.
Speaker: This is not good use of rest and recreation time. So we decided to investigate how people could have good, positive, constructive call it what you will, rest and recreation time.
Speaker: I simply described it as time that through rest and recreation enhances our lives. Our aim was simple, to explore how people create balance in their lives by better utilising their rest and recreation time.
Speaker: As the number of episodes increased, it quickly became apparent that rest and recreation was becoming something much richer than just a series of interesting conversations.
Speaker: A rich tapestry of stories was evolving that covered identity, ambition, creativity, healing, relationships and the many ways that people find meaning beyond work.
Speaker: So today i want to reminisce. I want to revisit some of the themes we've explored the guests from around the world who've shared their wisdom and the lessons that have stayed with me.
Speaker: want to think of this as a reflective walk through the archive, a moment to pause, a moment to breathe and a moment to appreciate the journey so far.
Speaker: If there's one theme that runs through every episode, it's the idea of work-life balance. not the glossy, social media friendly version, but the real, messy, painful, inspiring human version.
Speaker: One of the earliest conversations that shaped rest and recreation was with Noel McDermott. Noel talked about the fight, flight and freeze responses.
Speaker: What struck me was how Noel connected these instinctive reactions to everyday stress, the kind of stress that we often ignore. Noel reminded us that balance isn't just about scheduling as if it's some sort of administrative task.
Speaker: It's about understanding what's happening inside us as well. Then there was Christy Grimm, who spoke so honestly about being a successful working mother.
Speaker: Christy didn't sugarcoat the challenges. She talked about the guilt. She talked about the pressure. She talked about the constant negotiation between ambition and presence.
Speaker: Christy's story highlighted something important. Balance isn't a destination. Balance is a continuous process of recalibration.
Speaker: Across all of these conversations, one lesson kept resurfacing. Balance is personal. Balance is contextual.
Speaker: And balance changes as we change. There's no universal formula. There's only the ongoing practice of paying attention to what we need and giving ourselves permission to honour that need.
Speaker: Another powerful etheme that emerged was identity. Who we are, who we think we should be and who we are becoming. My conversation with Elise Murray on redefining ambition was a standout experience.
Speaker: Elise described the moment she realised that the job she had worked so hard for no longer fitted the life that she wanted. That kind of honesty takes courage.
Speaker: It's not easy to admit that the dream you chased isn't the dream you want anymore and even harder to admit that that dream may be turning into a nightmare.
Speaker: Then there was Ingrid Huell Dahl whose memoir Sun Shining on Morning Snow opened a window into grief, into intercultural identity and into authenticity.
Speaker: Ingrid talked about the complexity of belonging, how identity is shaped not just by culture, but by loss, by memory, and by the stories that we inherit.
Speaker: These conversations taught me that reinvention isn't a failure, it's growth. Ambition is healthiest when it aligns with who we are, who we are becoming, not who we used to be.
Speaker: And perhaps the most comforting lesson is this. It's okay to change your mind. It's okay to evolve. It's okay to want something different.
Speaker: And it's okay to want something more.
Speaker: One of the unexpected joys of rest and recreation has been exploring creativity and hobbies. The activities we do simply because they bring us pleasure.
Speaker: I loved the conversation with Bethany of Shuhini about jigsaws of all things. It was such a simple topic, yet it opened up a beautiful discussion about mindfulness, about patience and about the satisfaction of completing something with no stakes attached.
Speaker: Then there was Rashid Woods, who talked about podcasting as a hobby. He reminded us that creativity doesn't have to be polished, it doesn't have to be professional, it can be messy, experimental, and it can just be for fun.
Speaker: And Jesper McQuindang shared insights about creating leisure time, not waiting for it to appear, but actively designing it into our lives. These episodes reinforce something I think all of us as adults forget.
Speaker: We need hobbies that aren't monetarised, that aren't optimised and that aren't turned into side hustles. We need something in our life that exists purely for the joy of it.
Speaker: Trying new things, whether it's jigsaws, podcasting, painting, gardening or learning a musical instrument, is an act of self-care. It reconnects us with the curiosity of our childhood and it gives us permission to play.
Speaker: And joy, as it turns out, is a legitimate form of rest. Many of the most powerful conversations on rest and recreation have centered around emotional well-being and healing.
Speaker: Sydney Francis brought a trauma-informed perspective to spiritual healing. She talked about the importance of recognizing emotional wounds and approaching them with compassion.
Speaker: rather than judgment. Dr Roxanne Dalio explored empathy and stress reduction. She reminded us that empathy isn't just about understanding others, it's also about understanding ourselves.
Speaker: And Anton Volny shared insights about grief, authenticity and emotional clarity. His reflections on loss were deeply moving and they highlighted how healing is rarely a linear process.
Speaker: Across these episodes one theme stood out. Emotional clarity is one of the most powerful tools we have. Emotional clarity helps us set boundaries, it helps us recognize unsafe people and it helps us protect our energy, which helps us move forward through life with more intention.
Speaker: healing in reality isn't about erasing pain. Healing is about learning to live alongside the pain and finding strength in that process.
Speaker: Relationships have also been another rich theme of exploration on rest and recreation. Romantic relationships, family relationships, social relationships and community-based relationships.
Speaker: Mila Smith offered a scientific approach to relationships, breaking down the behaviours that help couples thrive. Her insights were practical, grounded and refreshingly honest.
Speaker: Zach Randalls Friedman brought the LGBTQ plus perspectives into combatset the conversation, highlighting the importance of visibility, the importance of acceptance and the importance of community.
Speaker: Returning to Ingrid Huldal who in her memoir, Sun Shining on Morning Snow, explored the complexities of reconnecting with parents and heritage.
Speaker: A reminder that family relationships are often layered, emotional and constantly evolving. These conversations taught me that connection doesn't happen by accident.
Speaker: It requires curiosity. It requires communication and it often requires courage. Healthy relationships are not perfect, but they are intentional.
Speaker: We also had many conversations about work, not just the jobs that we do, but the meaning that we attach to those jobs. Rachel de Villiers talked about virtual assistants and the complexities of managing remote support.
Speaker: It was a fascinating look at how modern work is changing. Elizabeth Zalinka Parsons shared her experience of transitioning from work into retirement.
Speaker: A stage of life that's often misunderstood, yet full of so much potential. And Cindy Kohler explored what it means to live an aligned life, one where your values, your priorities and your actions all match.
Speaker: These episodes reinforce the simple but powerful idea. Work is part of our lives, not the definition of our lives. Careers should serve us, not consume us.
Speaker: On the bad days, and we all have bad days, we must remember that we have personal agency, which means we have the ability to choose, to adjust, to step back or to step forward.
Speaker: It is an essential part of building a successful life. So, as I look back across all of these conversations, one thing stands out.
Speaker: People are endlessly resourceful, endlessly creative and endlessly capable of change. Every guest brought something unique to rest and recreation.
Speaker: They brought stories, they brought lessons, they brought a moment of vulnerability and together they've shaped rest and recreation into a space where we can explore life beyond work and work beyond life.
Speaker: What I have learnt is that rest isn't just about stopping and recreation isn't just about fun. They're both about reconnecting.
Speaker: Reconnecting with ourselves reconnecting with others and reconnecting with the things that make life meaningful for us. So, thank you for joining me on this rest and recreation journey.
Speaker: Thank you for listening. Thank you for reflecting. Thank you for growing alongside these conversations. Here's to more curiosity, more compassion and more rest and the recreation in all our lives.
Speaker: Until Episode number 101. Please take care of yourself and take care of each other. Thank you.
