Power Reads: 5 Interesting Articles That Will Help You This Week

Each week, I select a few articles that rise above the fray and hopefully help you on your journey in leadership and the CRE world. They pull from one of four "corners": corporate real estate, technology, management science and anything positive. Each day we can become a better version of ourselves.

1. Remote Work’s Last Hurrah: 6 Spots to Make Your Summer Office

Those who’ve been able to work from home over the last year have had to get creative about their workstations, setting up makeshift offices on balconies, couches or even kitchen counters. Some temporarily relocated to new cities and towns from early in the pandemic.

But a new convergence of factors in the United States — easier access to vaccinations, loosening domestic restrictions, falling coronavirus cases and good weather — has led to a golden opportunity for those tempted to take their work on the road after a year of staying put.

Remote workers who are vaccinated but are not yet required back in an office are enjoying what may be a once-in-a-lifetime window, if they’re in a privileged position to take advantage of it — to hit the road with laptops in tow, and explore the country while getting paid.

2. How to Have a Fun, Multigenerational Family Vacation

Feeling released after a terrible year, this summer many families are hitting the road or taking to the skies with three or more generations, together.

How can family vacations live up to the name, providing time to feel close but also time off the clock? Parents who had children at home for remote school for much of the last year may ache for a chance to catch their breath. Grandparents yearn to be with their families at last, without feeling as if they’re operating a day care center.

Here’s how experts in family dynamics, and some grandparents and parents, suggest to best pull that off.

3. How to Take a Post-Pandemic Road Trip

Many of us have been itching for a summer vacation after more than a year of social distancing. But even as more of us are venturing out of our homes, not everyone is ready to ditch the masks and hop on a plane to a packed resort or crowded tourist destination.

If you are considering a multiday road trip, here are our suggestions for how to plan, what to bring, and other ways to keep yourself fed, safe, and happy on your travels.

Still can't get away? We also have recommendations on ways to stay entertained at home, with guides for our favorite phone games and gear for making beer, wine, cider, and mead. Need more of a staycation? Learn how to relax at home.

If you're vaccinated, out-of-state travel should be fine, so your destination depends on how far you're willing to go. We still recommend staying away from hot spots like Nashville or Miami, though—your first outing since quarantine ended shouldn't include standing in line for an hour outside a bar.

4. A Perfect Summer Road Trip in the Rocky Mountains

Countless monumental acts of nature roost within the Rocky Mountains.

If you’re pressed for time but eager to gorge on scenic beauty and intriguing mountain towns, we’ve devised a three-day road trip setting out from Denver and ending in Grand Junction.

A few pointers: Some of the best spots sit at the end of rocky roads; opt for four-wheel drive. Cellphone reception can’t cross over every peak; make sure your maps are printed or downloaded in advance.

This region can be highly seasonal; visit between now and the end of September before some places flip from bustling to boarded-up.

5. We All Really Need a Vacation. Here’s How to Make the Most of It.

Even before the pandemic, millions of days of vacation time went unused in the United States. As it did with so many things, the pandemic only exacerbated the problem.

Most of us are eager for a change of scenery, and research shows that taking vacations is important for a variety of reasons. Rest and time away increases resilience, which makes people better able to deal with the inevitable setbacks at work. It provides perspective that can help people see new solutions to problems, and it gives people a chance to pursue other life goals, like spending time with family and seeing the world.

As things start approaching a new normal in many parts of the world, it’s time for a reminder not only that you need to use your vacation time, but of how to make the most of it.

Your success blesses others. I wish you a great a hugely impactful week!

Ken Ashley