The most useful thing I've done for my work this August is spend more time doing something that doesn't look at all like work.

I wrote recently about falling back in love with vinyl, and using a record player to get myself started on tasks I'd rather avoid (link below). One unexpected side effect is that I've started wanting new albums to listen to. And 'new' turns out to mean all sorts of things: something released last week, a reissue of an old classic, a pre-loved copy of something I haven't heard in 30 years, or an album from 1974 I've never heard at all.

It’s got me back into an old habit. When I used to travel for work, I’d sometimes sneak off between back-to-back meetings to favourite record stores: Concerto in Amsterdam, Reckless Records in Chicago. Not because I needed anything in particular, but precisely because I didn’t.

In days built around efficiency, I was seeking a little inefficiency. Because record stores are best experienced with a spirit of curiosity, rather than expectation. Though I've realised I rarely did the same in London. Maybe being away made it easier to wander without a plan.

I’ve realised how relevant that is to my work today. So much of what I do depends on fresh ideas and different perspectives. Those ideas need unexpected things to bump into; if everything I read is relevant, every conversation has a defined purpose and every hour is spent productively, there’s not much room for serendipity.

Because it’s August, I’ve given myself permission to rediscover an old habit. I think I’ll keep it going when September comes.