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Artist Fellowship | Features

Imbalance in the Modern Age

In our busy lives, art is often sacrificed in favor of work. Our Artist Fellowship program was created to give artists space and time to create, uninterrupted. Boston-based writer Becki Ledford recently stayed with us and wrote about the interruptions we face daily, and imbalance in the modern digital age.

 

As I was preparing to leave for my very first Getaway, I was excited and anxious. I had two nights to completely disconnect and try to figure out what balance — and therefore imbalance — really means.

Humans, like plants and flames, must be fed from both the bottom and the top. Flames are fed by the wood or another source of fuel along with the oxygen that allows the flame to grow. Plants, too, are fed by the sun above and the earth below — water carrying nutrients from the soil in through the plant’s roots.

In our modern world, we’re used to extremes. We see it in the enormous lengths our television shows aspire to as well as in our politicians, always swearing to take it one step further than the last.

Like a pendulum swings, life strives to reach equilibrium. When our lives swing too far in one direction, something inevitably happens to bump us back to center. Sometimes those bumps are positive and other times they seem to bring destruction in their wake. But each has the same purpose — to bring us back into balance.

Photo by Amber Parker.

In our modern world, we’re used to extremes. We see it in the enormous lengths our television shows aspire to as well as in our politicians, always swearing to take it one step further than the last. We speak in extremes as well; we describe experiences as the best or the worst — only with those closest to us do we dare to live somewhere in the middle, where experiences and purchases and partners and jobs are all just okay.

We’ve begun to live in these extremes to avoid any perceived sense of mediocrity. Somehow, somewhere along the way, we began to equate balance with that same mediocrity. But balance isn’t mediocre, that’s the hard-earned lesson that our ancestors before us learned and that somehow we’ve forgotten in our modern world.

The only place many of us strive for balance is in our social media feeds. In those cases, it’s #balance — a buzzword more than a way of life. Often, it’s used right alongside #selfcare or #sorrynotsorry. But shouldn’t we always be caring for ourselves? Shouldn’t we always be unapologetic about living our best lives?

These days, working for eight hours a day is underachieving — the expectation in many industries is closer to 10 or 12 hours at a stretch, and forget about quiet weekends with no work email.

The imbalance we experience in our current age often isn’t even perceived as an imbalance. These days, working for eight hours a day is underachieving — the expectation in many industries is closer to 10 or 12 hours at a stretch, and forget about quiet weekends with no work email. We’re always on. When it isn’t work, it’s social media. It’s the feeling that when a friend invites you out to dinner, you really should say yes, even if you’re exhausted and really want some time alone to decompress.

We get anxious if we don’t have wifi, positively frantic if we don’t have cell signal. Many people have cut the cord and moved away from cable television, but a large majority of those still rely on Netflix, Hulu, or some other streaming service. We are convinced that it’s our connection with the outside world, that constant sense of being on, that makes us functional in today’s world. But it’s the excess of those things that are keeping us from truly engaging.

When I returned from my Getaway, I found myself using social media just a bit less.

Unlike other vacations I’ve taken, where I’ve continued to upload photos to Instagram, answer emails, and text with friends, while on my Getaway, I just was. I could have easily turned airplane mode off and used my phone, but I realized that while work, socializing, and being “on” provide nourishment for some aspects of my life, they feed me only from the top. To get that balance, to be fed from both the top and from the bottom — from my core, my roots — I needed to be “off” instead.

Cellphone lockbox. Photo by Michelle Watt.

But we’re talking about balance here, not extremes, and it wasn’t being on the Getaway itself that made me fully appreciate the forms that balance (and imbalance) take in our modern age. When I returned from my Getaway, I found myself using social media just a bit less. I posted photos to Instagram, but I didn’t obsess over catching up on Facebook birthdays or going through and liking the photos I’d missed (nor did I pay attention to the number of likes I was getting myself). I felt refreshed at work — able to focus and be more productive — but I left work to my established work hours and didn’t let it interfere with my personal life.

While this newfound balance was amazing, it didn’t last. Soon enough the modern world got its hold in me again and I found myself struggling with always being “on.” That’s when I learned the biggest lesson of all from my Getaway.

Imbalance today is something that must be combated regularly. We live in a world where the extremes are rewarded, and that makes it all too easy to fall into the habit of striving for those extremes. Working the longest hours, getting the most likes, and knowing the most people all seem like shiny aspirations, even though the unchecked pursuit of those goals leads to our own detriment in the form of high levels of stress, poor sleep, and unhealthy habits.

Balance is possible, but it’s a cup you have to keep refilling. You can’t take two days off from work once a year and expect to be able to maintain it. We all want a quick fix, but in this case there just isn’t one. Imbalance in the modern age is nefarious because the very things that can throw us off-kilter are the very things we need to survive in today’s world. Just remember: all things in moderation. And make sure you use your vacation days for actual vacation.

Becki is a freelance writer and editor who lives in Boston, MA. She is currently writing her debut novel and continually striving for balance in her own life. When she isn’t behind her laptop, you can find her hiking in the Fells, reading a book, or leading workshops on visualization, intuition, and Earth-based spirituality. Follow along on Twitter and Instagram.

You can follow Becki here on Instagram to follow her work or apply for our Artist Fellowship here.

Features

Work-Life Balance As A Social Media Manager

One of the toughest challenges of building a brand in the digital age is that it’s absolutely necessary to have an online presence—which, if you’re in the business of doing good or helping better the lives of others, can be tricky as there are obvious benefits and very clear downsides of social media. 

Social media can be time-consuming and exhausting for anyone, which makes it even tougher and more complicated when it’s a job. In our connected age, work-life balance is rarer to achieve when everyone is reachable at any moment and when we can all access work emails with a few flicks of the thumbs. And while social media was once a purely recreational platform, it is now as much for businesses and brands as it is for photos of your lunch and baby nieces. For someone who actually works in social media as a career, it can be more challenging to really maintain boundaries between working all the time and really turning off.

We caught up with social media managers at some of our favorite brands to get their take on how they maintain work-life balance as professional #hashtaggers:

Greg Rose, Head of Content

Name: Greg Rose  

Title: Head of Content at Virgin

Personal account: @gregorylewisrose

Company account: @virgin

Social media philosophy: The medium isn’t as important as having something interesting to say on it.

The most challenging aspect of job: Juggling a lot of different stakeholders, responsibilities, and priorities.

The most rewarding aspect of job: Working with brilliant people, for a business and founder I genuinely believe are trying to make life better.

How do you find a work-life balance between the constant connectivity of social media and just being present? I find it challenging. I make sure I read lots of physical books to get my eyes away from screens for a while.

How do you envision the future of social media? Fewer log-ins, fewer separate channels, even more ubiquity but also more control. And eye devices, of course.

 

Kelsey Vanderlip
Kelsey Vanderlip, Head of Social Media

Name: Kelsey Vanderlip

Title: Head of Social Media at Away

Personal account: @kelsey.vanderlip

Company account: @away

Social media philosophy: Be authentic! Social media is about interacting with people in an authentic and personal way. When you tell your story in a way that people can relate to, they are more likely to engage with your content. We wanted the Away voice to feel like you’re talking to a close friend, and that has translated to great engagement on our channels.

The most challenging aspect of job: It’s always a challenge to find the balance between building out a planned content calendar, and also being flexible enough to respond to things in real-time. For brands and influencers, building out a social media calendar should be methodical, and the general framework should be planned in advance, but it’s often the spur-of-the moment boomerang, witty retweet, or last-minute live video that unexpectedly creates the most authentic moments.

I love that social media allows people to break down barriers and experience new cultures.

The most rewarding aspect of job: At Away, it’s been incredibly rewarding to see the amazing and unique locations that people take our products to and the connections they’ve made along the way. I love that social media allows people to break down barriers and experience new cultures, and it’s so exciting to see people engage with our stories and share their own travel recommendations!

How do you find a work-life balance between the constant connectivity of social media and just being present? I’m lucky to work with a talented team that I genuinely enjoy seeing every day and for a company that encourages employees to take time off to travel when they need to unplug. Away even plans an international trip every year with the entire team—follow #AwayOOO on Instagram to see where we go next! The first year, there were twenty of us and we went to Puerto Rico, and then there was forty people in Nicaragua last year. The team has grown even more now, and I can’t wait to find out where this year brings us! Personally, I try to preserve a bit of time for myself every day. It’s so important to disconnect and trust other members of your team to take the wheel—I actually just got back from a week in Aspen!

It’s so important to disconnect and trust other members of your team to take the wheel.

How do you envision the future of social media? Social media continues to trend towards live sharing and real-time conversations. Brands and individuals alike are spending less time editing content and more time being in the moment. Whether it’s participating in live video content, or responding to our customers as quickly (and thoughtfully) as possible, brands who are doing well aren’t afraid of the quick pace, even if it means a bit of imperfection. In fact, I think that imperfection is what gives you some credibility. No matter the latest platform or trend, I think continuing to share great content and having an authentic conversation with your community will always be the key factor for success.

Celeste Wilson, Social Media Manager

Name: Celeste Wilson

Title: Social Media Manager, Four Sigmatic 

Personal account: @thetruespoon

Company account: @foursigmatic

Social media philosophy: Treat every single point of contact with your following like you’re speaking to your mother :).

The most challenging aspect of job: I run a 100k + account and it can be challenging to genuinely respond to every single person who appreciates our brand/account, but it is so important to me.

The most rewarding aspect of job: Seeing how our products are so integral to so many individuals daily rituals. It’s so touching to know we create products that bring joy to millions of people.

How do you find a work-life balance between the constant connectivity of social media and just being present?
It’s a constant struggle but putting time boundaries on work really helps me. I try not to look at social until after I meditate in the morning and I try to stop looking after my fiancé comes home from work….it’s a constant practice to respect those boundaries.

It’s a constant struggle but putting time boundaries on work really helps me.


How do you envision the future of social media? I see only video content being relevant. Also, I see VR being utilized!

 

Emma Nemtin, Senior Manager, Brand Partnerships

Name: Emma Nemtin

Title: Senior Manager, Brand Partnerships at Headspace

Personal account: @emnemtin/ @sideofguac

Company account: @headspace

Social media philosophy: Stay true to your brand and don’t follow in other people’s footsteps. Be authentic, be honest. Test different formats, get playful with copy, be adventurous and add some realism to your photos and videos. Ultimately don’t strive for perfection and leverage social media to construct a better world and not perpetuate false realities.

I’m always searching for my next upcoming trip or adventure, so my personal social accounts are largely focused on travel (and delicious snacks) and highlighting local experiences and being able to showcase hidden places. When I’m traveling I try not to be too engulfed with getting perfect shots for social and enjoy what’s in front of me. It’s important to strike that balance of being present while also capturing the moment.

When I’m traveling I try not to be too engulfed with getting perfect shots for social and enjoy what’s in front of me.

The most challenging aspect of job: The most challenging aspect of my job is saying no to awesome opportunities that come across my desk. I wish I were able to tackle everything but I have to be relentless in prioritization and what will have the biggest brand impact.

The most rewarding aspect of job: I would say getting to work with so many incredible brands who are focused on holistic health and finding ways to provide people with tools to lead healthier and happier lives. I love seeing brand partnerships come to fruition and creating memorable and impactful brand activations – especially when I’m given the opportunity to introduce someone to meditation and or mindfulness for the first time. It’s not every day you get to work for a mission-driven company that perfectly aligns with your own values. I feel incredibly lucky to work with a company like Headspace.

How do you find a work-life balance between the constant connectivity of social media and just being present? Since I don’t work day to day in social, I’m off the hook luckily with not having to be constantly tied to my phone. However, I do have to make a concerted effort and constantly remind myself to maintain a healthy habit with my phone and Instagram. I’ve also tried changing my phone display settings to greyscale to make it (and social media apps) less enticing and less clickable.

There’s a huge shift in our dependencies on our devices so I think we are going to see a lot less time spent on social media and when we are posting or capturing content it will be much more deliberate.

How do you envision the future of social media?

There’s a huge shift in our dependencies on our devices so I think we are going to see a lot less time spent on social media and when we are posting or capturing content it will be much more deliberate. I believe there will be a push towards fostering healthy relationships and will see the fostering of intimate communities on social.  

 

Local Guides | New York City

Where to Find Balance in New York

We all could benefit from bringing more balance into our lives. Our busy work and social calendars can burn us out and tire us out easily. That’s why we’re bringing you a series of recommendations for the best places to find disconnection and balance. We still believe leaving the city is the best way to recharge, but that’s not always possible, so it’s important to find sanctuaries even in the middle of our cities.

Here are some of our recommendations for our favorite places to rejuvenate in New York.

For Meditation

Mindfulness

With a mission of making humans feel good, MNDFL is the perfect space for someone looking to integrate meditation into their routine. In addition to a variety of classes, the space also offers space for self-guided practice when there are no sessions.

For Yoga

Yoga

New York has an endless supply of wonderful yoga studios, but a great one to try is Yoga Vida. With a wide variety of classes and a mission to make yoga accessible and inclusive, it’s the perfect place to find your new yoga community.

For an Immersive Wellness Experience

If you’re looking for a new and different way to relax, consider Modrn Sanctuary. The wellness center aims to be “a haven for those looking to calm their senses and relax.” With everything from personal meditation domes to Himalayan salt baths, it’s the ideal place for anyone looking to explore the newest trends surrounding a balanced lifestyle.

For Greenery

Trees

For those looking to head, the best place to disconnect in the middle of the city is Central Park. While some parts may be filled with tourists during the warmer months, there’s still plenty of space for you to take a break from the hustle and bustle and go for a stroll.

City Escape

These are all great practices to build balance back into your routine. Sometimes nothing beats a quick and simple escape from the city.

Atlanta | Local Guides

Where to Find Balance in Atlanta

We all could benefit from bringing more balance into our lives. Our busy work and social calendars can burn us out and tire us out easily. That’s why we’re bringing you a series of recommendations for the best places to find disconnection and balance. We still believe leaving the city is the best way to recharge, but that’s not always possible, so it’s important to find sanctuaries even in the middle of our cities.

Here are our recommendations for our favorite places to rejuvenate in Atlanta.

For Meditation

Meditation

Get in your daily dose of deep breathing with Sacred Chill West. This yoga and meditation studio offers classes for all levels and will teach you comfortable seating options and tips before leading you through a lightly guided session.

For Yoga

yoga

If you disconnect through strengthening your body and sweating it out, check out Dancing Dogs Yoga. This studio offers a “kick-ass, feel good yoga community” and Baptiste Power Vinyasa classes for a range of levels.

For Walking

Atlanta Outpost

Take a break by taking yourself out on a stroll. The Atlanta Beltline is the perfect place to walk, take in the sights, and relax. With plans to connect 45 neighborhoods by the time it’s completed in 2030, this project will become one of the easiest places in the city to decompress.

For Learning

For Learning

If you need some help learning how to reintroduce balance into your life, sign up for a course at the Mindfulness Center of Atlanta. With everything from one-day retreats to eight-week classes, the center works to encourage well-being and healing as a way to enhance therapy and medical treatments.

Getaway Atlanta

These are all great practices to build balance back into your daily routine. Sometimes, though, nothing beats a quick and simple escape from the city.

Boston | Local Guides

Where to Find Balance in Boston

We all could benefit from bringing more balance into our lives. Our busy work and social calendars can burn us out and tire us out easily. That’s why we’re bringing you a series of recommendations for the best places to find disconnection and balance.

We still believe leaving the city is the best way to recharge, but that’s not always possible, so it’s important to find sanctuaries even in the middle of our cities.

Here are some of our recommendations for our favorite places to find restoration in Boston.

For Meditation

Meditation

If you’re looking to practice your deep-breathing and meditative skills, sign up for a class at Mindful Boston. The meditation center offers everything from beginner classes to professional training. If you’re new to the practice and just want to try it out, check out their free weekly community nights.

For Greenery

Greenery

We all need to spend time outside. Large parks and gardens are there for when we can’t go all the way to a state park, and the Boston Public Gardens is the perfect spot. Find a moment of solitude by taking a nap under a tree or watching ducks play in the pond.

For Walking

Walk Outside

If you’re looking to take a solo walk, consider taking a trip to the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain. There are miles of trails to follow and plenty of beautiful plants and trees to stop and admire.

For Yoga

Yoga

If you prefer to disconnect through mindful exercise, check out Down Under Yoga. The local studio boasts a large group of skilled yoga teachers and aims to “help people and communities realize the best version of themselves.”

Boston Outpost

These are all great practices to build balance back into your routine. Sometimes, though, nothing beats a quick and simple escape from the city.

For Your Free Time

Getaway Presents: Breathwork 101

We met Kathleen Booker ahead of our National Day of Unplugging meditation event at The Assemblage in New York. We were immediately struck with her calming presence, and her incredibly intentional approach to breathing. She put the whole room to ease.

As she led a group of around 40 of us in a blissful meditation, she invigorated the whole room with her approachability, energy, vitality, and warmth. It is just this spirit that have drawn many towards her. Most recently, she was invited by Oprah to host a breath work healing workshop at a screening event for a documentary around childhood sexual abuse.

As a survivor of abuse herself, Kathleen recognized that the audience was triggered. Dealing with their overwhelmed energy, their anxiety, and their stress, is where Kathleen shines. She’s found the healing power of breath, and she’s living proof of that herself.

We asked Kathleen to give us the rundown on breath work strategies we can use at home.

A Note From Kathleen:

The Breath has supported me to release a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety from the trauma…Thanks to the Breath, much healing has taken place within my mind, body and emotions.

I dance with joy in celebration FOR myself…I am CONFIRMATION of the powerful healing of Breathwork.  I have had a personal Breathwork practice for over 15+ years.

Your Breath Heals: mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Now let me be clear, there is still more healing for me to do.  However, I am NOWHERE near where I was 10, 5, or 1 year ago — Thanks to the Breath.

World renowned integrative medicine doctor Andrew Weil, M.D. says “Practicing a regular, mindful breathing exercise can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.”

Breathwork 101

Medically speaking, Conscious Connected Breathwork releases cortisol/stress from the body and increases the good feeling endorphins in the body.

This is called homeostasis/balance in the body.  With Breathwork, peace will prevail and permeate your mind and body.

Results from Conscious Connected Breathwork:

  • Releases anxiety/stress
  • Enhances sleep
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Sharpens focus and concentration
  • and MORE!

How is the healing with Breathwork showing up in my life?

Gosh…Can ya say happy?  There is a flow pervading happiness within me that has become my default energy.

And…Synchronicity of incredible opportunities are showing up: being invited to be a healer at Oprah’s event!!!

My relationships are deeply authentic and loving.  I speak my authentic truth with heartfelt ease, and I am boundless energy!!

Breath Heals.

I always share with my clients: life is gonna life…Stuff is gonna happen. 

However, the Breath gives us the ability to respond, not react, to what happens in life.  This is the distinction.  The response comes from a place of inner peace, balance, and focus – that is the power of the Breath.

Your Breath is your key to a Life Lived Vivaciously!

Features

The Right to Disconnect

New York, the city that never sleeps, is set to introduce a bill that would allow employees the right to disconnect from ‘electronic communications’ after work hours. Proposed on March 22 by Rafael Espinal, this bill would make it illegal to force employees to check and respond to email while they aren’t on the clock.

This is a huge step towards countering the 24/7 culture we’ve come to accept as normal and what I’ve called the ‘Great Spillover’—the line between work and life has become so blurred that we’re answering emails during dinner with loved ones and we’re watching cat videos during meetings.

European countries have already established similar laws. France, on the first day of January in 2017, passed a ‘right to disconnect’ law that required companies to establish hours where staff should not send or answer emails, in order to prevent burnout. Studies have shown that people who respond to work emails after 9 pm actually experience lower quality sleep.

At Getaway, our first core tenet of how we work is to build the counterbalance. Our mission is driven by the fact that the digital age has created a gross imbalance in our lives. We are here to be a counterbalance to others, and we believe in finding that balance in our own lives—which includes work. Our meetings always have an agenda and each of our teams have protected ‘production mornings’ where Slack, email and instant messages are banned.

Protecting our daily routines is good, but the spillover effect impacts our vacation time as well.

A whopping 61% of Americans don’t use all of their vacation time, which is why we have a mandatory vacation policy at Getaway.

Daily rest at home after work is important, but real vacations to relieve the mind and inspire creativity is crucial as well.

As the importance of off-time becomes more apparent and needed, I hope to see more and more companies enforcing vacation rather than having a loose ‘unlimited vacation’ policy that can dangerously slip into a culture where no vacation is taken at all. This is where the importance of culture reigns: because even if the ‘right-to-disconnect’ bill passes in New York, it requires buy-in from employers and employees alike to commit to stop checking emails past bedtime and to get a little more sleep.

Continue reading “The Right to Disconnect”

Local Guides | Washington, DC

Where to Find Balance in DC

We all could benefit from bringing more balance into our lives. Our busy work and social calendars can burn us out and tire us out easily. That’s why we’re bringing you a series of recommendations for the best places to find disconnection and balance. We still believe leaving the city is the best way to recharge, but that’s not always possible, so it’s important to find sanctuaries even in the middle of our cities.

Here are some of our recommendations for our favorite places to find restoration in D.C.

For Meditation

Meditation

Get in your dose of deep breathing and relaxation at recharj in downtown D.C. With a goal of delivering “peace of mind in a noisy city,” this studio offers everything from meditation classes to power nap sessions. Join a class or schedule a private session and let your everyday stressors roll off your shoulders.

For Greenery

Trees

One way to relax is by making sure you get a healthy amount of nature and sunshine. Take a break from the city and stroll through part of this 1,754 acre park. Rock Creek Park was one of the first federally managed parks in the United States and it currently offers hikes, picnic spots, and even horseback riding.

For Yoga

Yoga

If you’re looking to disconnect by strengthening yourself and your body, book a class with Down Dog Yoga. With four locations in the D.C. area, this studio offers classes in Baptiste Power Yoga, blending “strength, sweat, and spirituality.”

Cabin

These are all great practices to build balance back into your routine. Sometimes nothing beats a quick and simple escape from the city.