#PassportToMP: Why working away makes me a better MPer

While many employers tout their support for work-life balance, my company goes beyond just talk. Through our Work Away Benefit, Media Profile gives me the freedom and flexibility to reimagine and define what work-life balance means for me personally.

Last year, I embarked on a month-long European adventure with two of my coworkers and lived out my Dolce Vita fantasy. This year, I decided to keep things closer to home. The allure of far-off destinations hadn’t faded, but I craved a different kind of connection—one with my loved ones. My ‘23 Work Away experience revolved around spending quality time with my sister and boyfriend. I went on my Work Away for three weeks: the first week, I spent in San Diego on vacation with my boyfriend, and the final two, I spent working remotely while staying with my sister in Calgary, Alberta. 

The beauty of Work Away is that it's not just a vacation; it's an opportunity for both personal growth and professional development. Here's how my Work Away experience enriched my life and made me a better MPer.

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Fuelling Creativity and Breaking Creative Ruts

Yes, I know this is a cliché, but travelling truly can reset your brain and pull you out of a creative rut. Before I left for the first leg of my trip in San Diego, I hadn’t taken a vacation in a while. A low undercurrent of adrenaline was the only thing fuelling me at work. I desperately needed a break and a dose of scenic inspiration, the kind that only a sun-drenched week in California can provide. 

My boyfriend grew up in the Pacific Northwest and spent many years frequenting different cities up and down the Golden State, and he always had a special affinity for San Diego, so it was an easy choice for our getaway. 

We decided to stay in the cliffside village of La Jolla, where we spent the week kayaking in the crystalline waters of La Jolla Nature Reserve, swimming with sea lions in the coastal sea caves and hiking along Southern California’s sandstone cliffs and nature reserves. Our week away was a whirlwind of stunning seascapes—inspiration that could be translated into fresh ideas back at the office.

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Spending Quality Time with Loved Ones

My sister lives in Calgary, and while that’s not so far from Toronto, between our busy work and travel schedules, we often only see each other over the holidays. Media Profile’s Work Away Benefit made it possible for us to enjoy two weeks of precious time together in her new home-province of Alberta.

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During the week, I worked remotely from her apartment with my new temporary deskmate, her cat Remy. After-hours and on the weekend, we took road trips and hiked scenic trails in Canmore and Kananaskis. She introduced me to Calgary’s best restaurants, microbreweries and comedy clubs. The moments that stick out the most in my memory though are the little ones: laughing together, chit-chatting over impromptu mid-day coffees and catching up after too many months apart. 

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Working away gave me the ability to integrate my personal and professional life in a way that felt most fulfilling and meaningful to me at this moment in my life. The opportunity to reconnect, create lasting memories and simply spend quality time with my sister while I worked meant the world to both of us. 

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Reset and Relaxation for Enhanced Productivity

Vacations are important—they help us relieve stress, recharge for work and improve our overall health and wellbeing. My time-off in San Diego offered a picture-perfect sanctuary to unwind and rejuvenate. And my entire Work Away, including both the time I spent online and off, left me feeling rested, refreshed and resilient. I came home ready to take on whatever creative or strategic challenges came my way back at the office. 

But the value of Media Profile’s Work Away Benefit extends far beyond the benefits of taking a break; it’s about making the most of the little time we have both in work and life. It's about exploring our passions, building connections and embracing the world's wonders. When your employer considers flexibility and novelty to be a vital aspect of work, a default mode rather than a privileged perk, you’ll find that your work can actually enhance your life.

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