As we continue to enjoy our sun-blessed summer (surely this weekend is just a blip?) there is a question that needs answering for all of us – how do I make the most of my time off? Now this answer varies depending on personality, lifestyle, job role, but one thing all of us want from a summer holiday is to relax. So, a few of us have put our heads together to provide you with some ideas for enjoying your road to relaxation.
Zachary
In recent years, nothing has quite said summer like The Great British Bake Off. Just when I thought England at the World Cup provided me with all the drama I can handle for one summer, I am ready to go once again. While we all miss Mary, Mel and Sue, I would definitely still recommend strapping yourselves in for a second Channel4 series of this modern classic. Even for a 23-year-old like me, there is nothing like the intense pause just before the Star Baker of the Week is announced.
In terms of summer reading material, I’d have to recommend Bear Grylls’ autobiography Mud, Sweat and Tears. I was given the book for Christmas, but only recently have I got around to opening it and I haven’t been able to put it down. If you are looking for a fascinating insight into how to survive in some of Earth’s toughest terrains while being in the comfort of your sun lounger – this is the book for you. An inspiring read to spur on a summer adventure for sure.
Mary
With my holiday just about to start, I’m looking forward to filling it with fun outside in this glorious and uncharacteristically hot British summer. After attempting white water rafting and fighting off zombies, I’m also planning to finish off watching Miranda as ‘it’s such fun’ and I’m desperate to see if she and Gary get together. As every day is a learning day, I’m also going to start reading ‘The Gig Economy: Things you should know to make your business grow’ written by Mark Magnacca which explores the origins, role, and future of fractional talent and the benefits to businesses large and small.
Stephen
After recently returning from the beautiful Toulouse, I am slightly embarrassed by my attempts to speak French to the locals. This has encouraged me to learn a new language and is why I have started to use an app called ‘busuu’ to learn how to speak French. The app offers bite-sized lessons in 12 languages and is ideal for learning phrases to use in everyday life, work and travel. The app also makes learning a bit more appealing compared to the old school French textbooks. If you’re on your travels this summer I can’t endorse this app more for learning the local lingo and avoiding the blunt stares of the locals.
Science and technology runs through the veins of my family with my dad being a physicist and my brother studying physics at university. And of course, I am working at the number one tech PR agency outside of London. How these two industries continually evolve and better themselves has always fascinated me and Wired magazine is perfect at keeping me up-to-date with its articles. As an avid football fan, I was captivated by Wired’s recent article on the birth of VAR technology and how it came to play its part at this year’s World Cup. So, if you’re looking to stay on top of the latest science and tech news from your sun lounger, this is the magazine to buy.
Bekki
This summer, I’ve been challenged by my team members to complete the ‘Couch to 5K challenge’. The journey of self-improvement is officially underway – granted I’ve only actually done one of the runs – but watch this space.
Another thing to be keeping an eye out for is the brilliant work of Oobah Butler, this year’s ‘Content Creator of the Year’ as awarded by The Drum. The young writer garnered a lot of media attention following his TripAdvisor stunt, where he somehow made a fake restaurant (actually just a shed in his garden) the number one rated restaurant in London. He’s done more excellent, quirky pieces of work since, and is a great example of how to inject creativity into your work and shake up existing models.
