This past June, the entire Collective Results team was given an additional vacation day as an expression of gratitude for the tremendous effort and dedication our team has been putting in over the last few months during a peak busy time. It was an initiative brought forward to the team by our Founder and CEO, Amy Estill, as an opportunity for all of us to pause, relax, and engage in activities outside of work that bring us joy. Our team was very appreciative of this gesture and wanted to share our collective experiences of some of the things we did on our “Day of Joy”.
Lindsay: I met my friend and her 9-month old daughter for lunch. We ate delicious pizza while sitting on a restaurant patio enjoying a beautiful, sunny day. In the afternoon, I read a book on my front porch and went for a walk on the trails by my house. I came across a cute, little turtle along the path. I was happy to spend time connecting with people, activity and nature – three things that are very important to me!
Liz: Everything has felt extremely busy lately both at work and at home. The kids’ activities are now back in full swing and it feels like there is no time to just simply do nothing. Is anyone else feeling the same? For these reasons I spent my day of joy slowing down and enjoying moments of silence and reflection. I had a great back massage at a local RMT and a lovely nature walk.
Brianne: Lately, it has been hard to find time to check items off my to-do list. Although many may not feel this way, finally crossing some of these lingering items off my list brought a lot of joy! So, I did just that, which included some decluttering at home and a trip to the dentist. I also did some much needed physical activity with a scenic run, which was beautiful and calming!
Audra: The day of joy just so happened to fall on the day my daughter had regional track and field day. It was such a beautiful day to be at the meet and cheer her on in her events. My mom joined me and after all the cheering we did a bit of shopping and had tea. It was a fun, screen-free, sunny day, spent with some of my favourite people.
Michi: A recent knee injury has sidelined me from doing some of the things that bring me joy, so I had a much needed visit with a physiotherapist. I was able to enjoy a short nature walk with Hershey, and engage in one of my most favourite activities – reading a book outside in the shade. What a great way to recharge your batteries!
Jennifer: What a day! I joined my daughter, my sister, my sister-in-law and my niece for a day at a spa. We did a lot of plunging into hot and cold (brr) pools and just enjoyed the peaceful space. We all live in different cities and don’t see each other often so it was a wonderful way to reconnect.
Rachel: My day of joy was absolutely perfect. I did all my favourite things! First, I enjoyed breakfast outside. I spent the morning tending to my vegetable garden and did some colouring. My afternoon was then spent floating in my pool and reading, followed by relaxing in my hammock in the shade!
Auburn: My day of joy was spent enjoying some of my favourite activities outdoors. I went for a walk through our forest in the morning (walking with purpose to avoid the mosquitos that have descended on us) and then spent some time in our apiary with our new bee hives. The hive inspections showed that the queens were laying well, the workers were happy, and the foragers were bringing in plenty of pollen and nectar! We also recently acquired a new batch of laying hens so I let them run free range for a bit while they got used to their new surroundings. This year we have the bold and beautiful Noirans who lay copper coloured eggs and have fun and curious personalities. Finally, I capped off the day by finishing up a project on the house, making a nice meal and going for a walk to the lake with my wife.
Tin: I spent the day of joy at the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) Conference held in Quebec City. I presented on a previous project related to evaluating equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. I also helped with the implementation of the CES student case competition. As the person who develops the cases for the competition, it is such a joy to see what the student teams develop for the sponsoring organization. This conference was such a wonderful return to in-person learning and reconnecting with old colleagues that I wasn’t able to see due to the pandemic. I feel so much more energized and encouraged about my work to further the field of program evaluation.
Amy: My day of joy was spent doing a mix of things for myself and volunteering. I spent some time reading a book on my back deck, got a bubble tea, and went shopping for some things that had been on my list for quite some time. I also went to my first training class for the national service dog puppy that we’ll be raising over the next year. After that, I enjoyed a nice dinner out with my partner Dave.
