BREAKING THE ROUTINE: Why Change Really is as Good as a Rest

As I turn 70 next year, I have the good fortune of gaining some new perspective on my life. A lot of people look forward to the day they can “retire,” finally able to slow down, rest, and do nothing. But some of the happiest people I’ve met are not the ones who define “retirement” as “resting.” The happiest people I know are those who define retirement as doing what they love. They’re still contributing. They’re learning. They’re volunteering. They’re staying active and strong. They’re busy. They have a full life. They aren’t necessarily “resting.” They’re renewed because they’re changing things up. Do you know what happens to people who do “nothing” for very long after they retire? They die.

Of course there are no guarantees. When our time is up, our time is up. Knowing whether a change will add years to your life remains uncertain. What is certain is that changing things up will add life to your years.

So, what is the lesson? We often hear the saying, “A change is as good as a rest.” But what does it really mean, and why does change rejuvenate us just as much—if not more—than a rest?

At its core, change interrupts routine. Our daily lives can become predictable and, over time, mentally draining. Even the most comfortable routines can lead to stagnation, making us feel tired, uninspired, or stuck. As the saying goes, “Life is just so darn daily.” But when we introduce change—whether it’s rearranging a room, trying a new hobby, or taking a different route to work—we awaken our senses and spark curiosity. This mental stimulation can be as refreshing as a vacation.

Change also challenges us to adapt and grow. It pushes us out of our comfort zones and encourages resilience. Every new experience, big or small, builds confidence and brings a sense of accomplishment. In this way, change doesn’t just offer rest from monotony; it energizes us with new perspectives and possibilities.

Moreover, embracing change fosters creativity. When we break from the familiar, we see the world differently. New environments and experiences inspire fresh ideas and solutions, fueling both personal and professional growth. Summer is a great opportunity for this. If it’s in your nature to rest, then take this time now to rest. Some rest is good for us, but if it isn’t in your nature to rest, then take some time this summer to simply change things up.

Just remember, the next time you feel weary, you don’t always need to rest to recharge. Sometimes, all you need is a little change. Embrace it. You may find yourself more refreshed, inspired, and alive than ever before.

Strong Fences, Open Gates: Mastering the Balance Between Distraction and Connection

Interruptions—whether from email, notifications, or colleagues—can have a negative impact on our focus and productivity. Interruptions are not just minor annoyances, they are “toxic” to concentration and the quality of work produced. There is much scientific studies that show that it can take up to 30 minutes to regain focus after being interrupted, and that the “attention residue” from switching tasks leads to poorer performance on subsequent tasks. In short, interruptions are a major barrier to productivity and cognitive restoration. I advocate for structured work routines and clear boundaries to protect periods of productive focus and rest.

And… the right kind of interruptions are what make life truly meaningful and rich. After all, for what purpose are we being productive? A call from my daughter in the middle of a busy day to face time with my young granddaughter, Juno. A voice mail from a friend who needs to talk right after she put her dog down. An invitation from my wife to go for a walk…
The key in life is to put a strong fence to keep the wrong kind of interruptions at bay, and open the gate to the interruptions that matter.

From Shadows To Sunrise: How Feeling Irrelevant Signals Imminent Change

Sometimes, the most meaningful insights occur when we admit our deepest uncertainties.

This past week, I talked with a friend, Gord Sarkissian, about some of my feelings of irrelevance at this stage in life and career. It wasn’t easy to voice my self-doubts as I emerge into this next chapter of my life.

Gord listened without judgment, reminding me that these questions are part of being human. By sharing my vulnerability and in reflection, I realized that self-doubt and uncertainty have always, for me, preceded a period of important change.

Transformation is on the horizon. Relevance isn’t a fixed point, but something we redefine as our lives unfold. Sharing irrelevance in a supportive community makes it relevant.

I had the good fortune to present a virtual session to The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) on Psychological Safety In The Workplace.

A significant part of the discussion was about the vitally important topic of creating safe spaces for marginalized groups such as women, indigenous peoples and people of colour.

We must recognize the blindness that comes with privilege.

Let’s stay self-aware of ways we make it unsafe for people and keep the conversations going. Let’s be open to feedback about how our actions impact others and continually learn and be open to change.

Intentional Culture, Exceptional Results – Integrating Authenticity with Accountability

One habit of good leadership is to be out in your culture, shining a light on success, celebrating wins, and catching people doing things right. There are likely some amazing things going on around you that you may be missing if you aren’t intentional. It’s natural for human beings to fixate on what’s not in our lives instead of focusing on what’s in our lives. Lately I’ve been putting this habit into practice in my own community. What I’ve discovered is that our little town is full of small giants (a term coined by Bo Burlingham), companies that deliberately choose to focus on excellence, purpose, and community impact rather than pursuing relentless growth or becoming as large as possible.

One of the small giants in Cochrane, Alberta is the Spray Lake Centre. Erin Wagner and her incredible team of leaders have created a vibrant, thriving, customer-focused environment that is at the heart and hub of our community for fitness, sports and recreation, as well as family and community connection. The SLS Centre also regularly hosts the Cochrane farmers’ market, both indoors and outdoors, and many other community events every year. When you visit Cochrane, stop by and get a shot of energy from this amazing place.

There are also many other small giants in Cochrane such as Found Books, Route 22 – Artist Collective Gallery, Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary, Pink Wand Cleaning Services, Flores and Pine Restaurant, Alberta Metal Works, Align Developments, and the Cochrane Public Library. All of these organizations are part of Innovate Cochrane, a community-driven non-profit dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs and business leaders to build authentic, accountable organizations.

Everyone talks about the importance of culture, but when the pressure to deliver results mounts, culture takes a back seat. Like taking care of your health in times of high demands, it’s easy to declare, “we don’t have time for culture.”

But culture is always present, regardless of whether you are intentional about it. It is not a flavor of the month management fad. It’s the fabric of your entire organization.

Organizational culture is complex and multi-layered. To create and sustain a great culture requires leaders at every level to look beyond visible behaviors and statements from culture surveys to understand and influence the deeper beliefs that truly shape how organizations function.

My framework for organizational culture focuses on integrating the two fundamental elements of a great culture: authenticity and accountability in three areas: organizational, interpersonal, and personal.

The Importance of Authenticity

Authenticity means living in alignment with your true values, living and working in a place where you don’t have to leave who you are at the door, where you can express yourself genuinely, fostering meaningful connections and trust. Authentic cultures encourage open communication, vulnerability, and psychological safety to support people to tell the truth in a respectful way.

Leaders who lead authentically strengthen the overall sense of belonging and engagement in an organization.

The Importance of Accountability

Accountability means that we remember that culture isn’t what we say. Culture is how we hold ourselves accountable for how we act. You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do. Accountability starts with ownership. Accountability means that individuals and leaders take ownership for their decisions and their actions. We institutionally deny the fact that each of us – through our perceptions and our choices – is creating the culture that we so enjoy complaining about. Deciding that you have created the culture you are living and working in – and therefore you are the one to step into healing it – is the ultimate act of accountability.

Accountability means taking responsibility to work with clear expectations and agreements and being a person who can be counted on. It means having the tough conversations, providing regular mutual feedback, helping each other grow, and delivering on the promises you make. It means holding each other to the same high standards and asking for the support needed to deliver on agreements made.

How Authenticity and Accountability Work Together

Authenticity and accountability are mutually reinforcing. Authenticity creates the psychological safety necessary for people to be honest, while accountability ensures that this honesty translates into clearly defined and necessary results.

Authenticity supports people to operate from a place of truth, caring, and integrity, while accountability ensures that this integrity is backed by responsible action. Together they foster trust, engagement, and sustainable success in any culture.

If you see someone across the room that you’ve never met, could you build trust with them in ten minutes?

In ten minutes you couldn’t build enough trust to hire them, marry them, or invest your money with them, but you CAN move the trust needle.

Here’s how:

  1. Reach out. Waiting and hope are not good trust building strategies. Introduce yourself. Put yourself out there.
  2. Extend trust. People either distrust you until proven otherwise or trust until you proven otherwise. You’ll have a much better chance of building trust when you come from the latter approach.
  3. Be curious. Instead of trying to impress and be interesting, put your focus on being interested. Ask questions. Seeking to understand through listening to find common ground is one of the best ways to make deposits in the trust account.
  4. Demonstrate Caring. You can’t fake this one. If you don’t care, people will sense it, and if people know you care they are more likely to reciprocate trust. Demonstrate caring by remembering names and showing concern about what’s going on in their life. But when you care you don’t have to worry about demonstrating it. It will naturally come through.