Indulged, re-charged … or both following our recent team day?

I’m feeling the after effects of our recent team day.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suffering from sore limbs having tackled an assault course or a sore head following a heavy brainstorming session.  No, I’m overcoming jaw ache from too much laughing and talking, whilst experiencing a real sense of calm having spent a tranquil day in a health spa!

When I try to explain the benefits of such a team day to people who just think I’ve been indulged, I get met with much eye rolling and exaggerated sighs.  But, as one who works remotely, it was so good to get together for a group catch up and enjoy the shared experience in a get-away-from-it-all location.  To add to the ambience of a day out we were even chauffeured in Jan’s Bongo campervan!

Mind you, who’d have thought it would be such a busy day.  Organising an itinerary to fit in all there was on offer created so many dilemmas, as we discovered on our arrival.  Do you order that necessary cup of tea after your journey when you only have 15 minutes to down it, get changed and be ready for your first treatment?  Should you swim before lunch or would that mean you have to sit through your meal in a wet costume, covered by a fluffy white robe of course – there was a dress code!  Do you try the yoga class in the afternoon or would your 3-course lunch end up causing you embarrassment during the relaxation session before the class finished?  I know the full 3-courses weren’t compulsory but we went with the flow as we had a young waiter who evoked our sympathy as he was very nervous and incredibly forgetful.  Perhaps it was just our chilled mood, but there was something very endearing about him asking for our tea and coffee order 3 times and still getting it wrong – if Fawlty Towers had taken place in a spa dining room it may have lost its humour because Basil could have got away with anything as the guests would have been too relaxed to care a jot about his antics!

Before we knew it though, we were sitting in a hot tub in the fresh country air enjoying a little late afternoon sunshine with rabbits frolicking (well, I think that’s what they were doing) on the lawn and the distant hills providing a beautiful backdrop.  We followed this with a lingering final drink before tearing ourselves away from our lush surroundings and heading back to reality.

So, are we a team indulged?  Well yes, I suppose there’s no denying that we are.  But we’re also a team who’ve returned to work invigorated and bonded with our batteries re-charged, having been reminded of the importance of self-care.  Given the business we’re in, surely that’s a great lesson to take away from our annual team day and one I’d recommend to anyone – just be prepared for the general eyebrow raising and tutting you’ll receive from those not yet lucky enough to have experienced the benefits!