Reports conducted by leading placement organisations like Challenger, Gray & Christmas find that the number of CEOs who relinquish their posts keeps growing. Executives constantly battle stress, fatigue, feelings of being overwhelmed, loneliness, and depression.
Interestingly, discussions of workplace stress have intensified in recent years with emphasis on employee wellbeing. Yet all this often overlooks the wellbeing of CEOs and all high-ranking executives. Those in the C-suite face burn-out and stress, making it important for them to enjoy the occasional break from work.
Living as most of us do in an urban environment, noise is all-pervasive. We are wonderfully Mediterranean. This means that we constantly congregate in large numbers with our senses assaulted by music and laughter, but also by the less pleasant physical noise of constant construction, traffic and devices.
The mental clamour of work deadlines, meetings, monetary issues, local politics and global issues is a combination that gnaws away at our quality of life.
Corporate leaders need restoration and time to recover. Leadership needs clear thinking and planning. The more challenging the position we have and the more ambitious we are, the more time we should dedicate to what the body and soul need – a special kind of calm beyond the day-to-day existence.
With long lists of pressing responsibilities, the inclination may be to work longer hours, skip vacations, or simply work right through them. However, this instinct is counterproductive and eventually makes us less efficient at work, compromising productivity, creativity, and the ability to have more impact. Burnout becomes a real risk.
Malta does offer a few spots to feel cut off from everything. To be and feel completely cut off from the noise, the clutter and the stress, you need to leave the island, at least for a few days. Going abroad, seeking serenity from the local maddening crowd and crowded environment could be a way to re-energise.
If the main reason for an overseas break is to de-stress, the choice of destination is crucial.
I find that the best way to truly break the mould of daily pressure is one of total relaxation blended with aesthetic and regenerative activities. And a close enough holistically encompassing journey lies in nearby Sicily.
The Adler Spa Resort Sicilia is located in Agrigento, a two and a half drive from Catania Airport and about an hour and 45 minutes from Palermo Airport. From Pozzallo harbour, it’s a drive of three and a half hours.
During my recent stay at the resort, I found the experience a revelation. There I found myself surrounded by the sounds of nature which made me feel part of it - the lapping of the sea on the beach, leaves fluttering in the trees, the chirping of birds and the crisp feel of the wind. The rest is serenity.
Built to enjoy lush views of sea, sky, sunsets and cliffs, the minimalist Adler is a repository of all things calming. No high towers or rooms on top of rooms. Space there is used to ensure true relaxation and rejuvenation.
The best of Sicily’s rich gastronomic tradition is an intrinsic part of the whole experience.Just off the Adler I also discovered Torre Salsa, a nature reserve untouched by man, untouchable and crudely wild. The undeveloped beach a few minutes away from the resort comprises five kilometres of sand, sea, sky.
When staying at the Adler, you can forget about driving and enjoy it all on site. There are invigorating spa treatments, an indoor pool and an open-air one which is heated in winter, and a state-of-the-art gym, all set in surroundings that help you relax and forget your usual daily grind.
It is a special kind of wellness effect for all the senses, imbued with the natural healing power of the sea, the iodine- and mineral-rich air and the rhythmic waves that soothe stress and reduce cortisol levels.
Just as the soul and inner self need sustenance, the body needs its food.
At the Adler, the best of Sicily’s rich gastronomic tradition is an intrinsic part of the whole experience, with local dishes, fresh fish, Sicilian produce and specially made cheeses and ricotta always on the menu which changes daily.
If you do choose to venture out of the resort for food and culture there’s a lot going for you. Agrigento’s culinary delights and jaw-dropping ancient sights of the Valle dei Templi offer a unique experience combo.
And once back at the Adler, indulging in added time at the Spa or wandering around the area will taste even sweeter.
As corporate leaders with numerous responsibilities, we need to recognise that we too deserve time off to regenerate and that, after a deserved break, we will certainly return to work renewed.
The break from the noise, the congestion and the stress will restore your inner peace and reinvigorate you as you return to work with more gusto and more corporate productivity.