Digging deep in the archipelago
Sometimes, a few days on a small island in the Stockholm archipelago can shift your perspective and overhaul your ideas about both your business and yourself.
My introduction to the Workation Way came in the form of an instagram ad served to my husband, who shared it with me. It sounded like a great opportunity to check in with myself, evaluate my work, and get out of the city. A few weeks after signing up, two unexpected things happened to make it even more relevant. We decided to move to the Netherlands next year, and I decided to embrace a fact I had dodged for a while: I am happiest when art directing. I needed tools to approach these new developments and figure out what they meant for both me and my business. I needed a retreat.
Arriving at Ekskäret on the first day of the Workation Way, there was a sense of “finally” in the air. It felt like everyone had been counting the days until the retreat and arrived ready to make the most it. The island is tiny yet full of space for both engaging and disconnecting (if you find yourself there, I recommend catching the sunrise from the tower). We stepped off the boat into this beautiful setting and immediately entered Workation mode. Workshops, talks, conversations, great(!) food, beautiful views, walks in nature, dips in the cold water, and insight upon insight awaited us.
My key insights from The Workation Way can be summarized in a mantra that came to me during the retreat: “Be Grounded”. This intention took shape with the help of the following activities.
Befriending fear
During our first workshop, we discussed the fears associated with freelancing. I was amazed by everyone’s immediate willingness to dig deep and generously share experiences and thoughts. It turned out many of us wished we did less reactive work (taking on every opportunity that comes along), which stems from the fear of not having enough work. Thinking freely and systematically about fears helped me truly reflect on the things I do or say yes to that become obstacles or draw me away from what I want to be doing. It made me truly consider what kinds of work I don’t want to do. I had never considered business-related fears this way, but listing them, I was able to add specific steps to my 2020 goals. In 2020, I will do less reactive, more purposeful work. That is an incredible win for both my me and my clients. Basically, taking a closer look at your fears can help you set goals with a sense of direction.
Actually setting goals
When it comes to goals, I was never an inspired goal-setter. I value flexibility and often felt that specific goals would rob me of it, and the goals I previously set often got buried in the work that came along. However, I learned a new way of framing goals at the Workation Way that changed my mind: looking back. Part of our exercise was to evaluate the past year, consider its milestones, and think about what emotions they generated. This was a new perspective for me, because it very explicitly showed me what I had done and how I actually felt about it. There were projects that originally seemed to be exactly what I wanted but that had not been rewarding at all. There were also projects that I anticipated would be pure stress but that I had enjoyed thoroughly. In conversation with another participant about my findings, I realized there are things I love doing (and am good at) that I haven’t actively incorporated into my work although it makes sense to do so. Now I will. And I will keep it simple: some of my new goals begin with “Learn more about…”. Great for someone who values flexibility. In short, a trip down memory lane can provide insights to where to go next.
Asking why
Goals are even easier to set when you know your “why”. Why do you get out of bed in the morning? It’s a fantastically difficult question, but one way of answering it is to explore your values and how they might affect your choice-making. Lydia introduced the Workation participants to the concept of Ikigai, with an exercise to map out your purpose and connect the dots. Simply put, we wrote word clouds on the topics of “what I love”, “what I am good at”, “what the world needs”, and “what I can be payed for”. Reviewing these collections, we were able to notice patterns in our thinking and our values. The conversations that followed showed how wonderfully different two people working in the same field can be. Visually mapping out thoughts like this is a way to remember what your values are, which in turn can open your eyes to new business- and personal goals, as it did for me at the Workation Way.
Onwards
These are my three primary takeaways from three days of learning, appreciating nature, and figuring things out together. I believe both fears and “the why” are great tools to get to know yourself and your business and set goals that align with you. It was informative and inspiring to take the time to explore this in a meditative setting, influenced by the positive energy of individuals who all know what freelancing can mean. Personally, I consider the Workation Way the starting point of a new business model and a new general outlook for me. With these insights in hand, I am humbly, gratefully, and boldly grounded.
About Anders
Anders Tallvik is an art director and graphic designer who connects the dots for clients within consumer goods and services, B2B services, and sustainability. He works broadly and is happiest when conceptualizing new and updated brands. Raised in northern Sweden, made designer in Washington, DC, and turned business owner in Stockholm, he’s about to keep designing and art directing from Amsterdam in 2020. He’s very excited.
See his work at anders.design.
