Amanda CoolidgeLast week I attended the #ISSOTL22 Conference. My normal conference state is to go hard on the learning and socializing. I wake up, go to sessions, socialize and network, go to sessions, socialize and network, and continue that routine until late into the evening. I then return home to my family tired and sometimes sick (cold, flu etc).
This time I decided to take care of myself. I went to sessions, lots of them, and I networked a lot, AND I took breaks. I retreated to my hotel room a couple of times throughout the day to read emails and check in with my team. I woke up at a reasonable time so I could get to the gym for a quick run (see "Burnout: The secret to unlocking the stress cycle"). I took time to check out the hotel hot tub and said no thank you to staying out late.
It was a powerful opportunity for me to set boundaries and to engage in the conference the way that I wanted to.