In this episode of the Smart Community Podcast, I have a fascinating conversation with Eleanor Carey, a dual world record holding adventurer and successful entrepreneur. In June 2018, she spent 62 days crossing the Pacific Ocean by human power in a 25 foot ocean rowing boat, and prior to this cycled solo across Europe. In this episode she tells us about those two adventures, as well as her passion for getting people out into the outdoors and using physical adventures to improve people’s lives. We discuss what a micro-adventure is and how it helps improve psychological fitness in the workplace, as well as creativity and productivity. Eleanor then tells us about the benefits of disconnecting from technology and connecting with nature, as well as her thoughts on the future of work. We talk about the decision making process Eleanor advocates for choosing what is right for you and how we can shift our mindset to overcome overwhelm and confusion, whether that be on an individual adventure or when collectively tackling Smart Community problems. We finish our chat discussing the emerging trend of entrepreneurship and the opportunities and challenges of both starting a business and having an entrepreneurial mindset in traditional employment. As always we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Listen here: 

What we cover in this episode:

• Eleanor’s background as a physiotherapist and her multiple adventurous journeys including cycling across Europe and rowing a boat across the Pacific Ocean
• Eleanor’s passion for getting people out into the outdoors and using physical adventures to improve people’s lives
• What a micro-adventure is and how it helps improve psychological fitness in the workplace, as well as creativity and productivity
• How Eleanor came up with the idea of a micro-adventure
• The benefits of disconnecting from technology and connecting with nature
• Eleanor’s thoughts on the Smart Community concept, as someone outside the space 
• The future of work and both the individual and collective need to do work differently
• The modern fusion between work and personal lives and how workplaces and employers need to adapt accordingly
• The decision making process Eleanor advocates for choosing what is right for you and going on adventures 
• The power of exposing oneself to new, inspiring, materials
• Overcoming overwhelm and confusion, whether that be going on an individual adventure or tackling Smart Community problems
• The different types of micro-adventures that Eleanor organises for different people’s needs 
• The power of the ‘intentional blackspot’ and spending time outdoors for empowering individuals
• The emerging trend of entrepreneurship and the need to make sure people know that it’s an option
• The skills regional people bring to small business and why the startup world needs to integrate and connect with them
• The challenges and opportunities of both being in business and having an entrepreneurial mindset in traditional employment

Quotes:

“We run corporate micro-adventures to improve psychological fitness in the workplace…[a micro-adventure is] leaving your work at the normal time e.g. on a Wednesday afternoon, going camping outdoors for the night, usually with some adventurous way of getting there like hiking or biking. [It’s] sleeping outdoors for the night, waking up for a beautiful sunrise and coming back into your desk for your normal start time on a Thursday morning.”

“When we are so overwhelmed and confused about the technology, we can’t move forward.” ~ Zoe Eather

“[Employers are now] able to admit that things that benefit our employees (eg. Exercise, healthy eating) are just all the things that we need as human beings to be able to function well. Historically we’ve looked at those things as something not directly related to the workplace. It needs to become more integrated.”

“You have to pick the smallest goal that fees completely achievable, and then you feel confident to go and execute on that.”

“I’m a huge advocate for human powered journeys—using our own muscles and our own steam to be able to get us to a location. There’s huge satisfaction because there’s huge challenge in that as well.”

“I finally started making the connection that by starting your own business it means that you have all the power and control, and whatever change it is that you want to see, whatever product or service that you want to create, that it then becomes within your grasp to be able to engineer that change.”

Connect: 

Find the full show notes at: www.mysmart.community 

Connect with Eleanor on Instagram @eleanorjcarey or LinkedIn, and eleanorcarey.com 

Connect with me via email: hello@mysmart.community

Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn or Twitter and watch on YouTube

Podcast Production by Perk Digital