Life at Enboarder: Enrichment Days
In this blog series we’re going to pull back the curtain and show what it’s like to be part of the Enboarder team. Today we’re talking about a unique perk we implemented for our team – Enboarder Enrichment Days.
What’s an Enrichment Day?
Enrichment Day began after we received feedback during our biannual, anonymous survey that some of the team wanted to spend more time focused on their mental health and well-being. To support them and ensure that every team member has an opportunity to participate, we implemented a quarterly Enrichment Day to support our team’s well-being, personal development, and mental health.
As long as our business priorities are still met the team is welcome to spend the day however they please. There’s only one rule on Enrichment Day – no meetings allowed!
Below is a collection of stories from the team about how they’ve spent their Enrichment Days.
Sarah K. spent her day focused on self care.๐ง
“I spent my last Enrichment Day focusing on both my mental and physical health. I started off the day with a long overdue facial, and afterwards went to my favorite local health store, Raw Republic, for some juice. The rest of the day I played with my friend’s puppy, which gave me a huge serotonin boost. I love having a day to just mentally reset and focus on myself once every quarter this way!”
Mayank found time for lost hobbies. ๐จ
“When I was in college I was very fond of dancing and drawing. But with time I started my career and had less time for both of those activities. But I’ve made use of every single Enrichment Day so far! For my first and fourth Enrichment Days I created physical and virtual images. For my second and third Enrichment Days I went to dance workshops. This great initiative by Enboarder is something I am very grateful for!”
Corey spun some wheels and learned guitar chords. ๐ธ
“I started my last Enrichment Day with a 60-minute SoulCycle at-home ride followed by a purchase that I’ve been keen on doing for quite a while now – my first acoustic guitar. I spent the rest of my afternoon learning the basics using the Simply Guitar app!”
Anand connected with colleagues. ๐ฅพ
“Three of our Enboarder teammates (myself, Ravneet, and Gopal) went trekking on a recent Enrichment Day. What a way to have fun together with teammates and what a strong bond it creates! It was such a fun and fulfilling experience with some natural beauty all around, a really amazing and unforgettable experience together.”
Phoebe retrieved Penny, her new puppy. ๐ถ
“This last Enrichment Day my mum and I bought puppies from the same litter. My boyfriend and I left super early in the morning to make sure we got our Maccas brekky before heading on our two-hour trip from Sydney to Newcastle. We named our monster, Penny and my mum’s crazy one, Gracie.
They were both a bit nuts in the car ride home and stank up the car with all sorts of smells. However, when we got home, they just loved running around. Penny is now a huge celebrity in the neighborhood and local coffee place. She expects pats from everyone who walks by and she always waits for her pats from them!”
Sarah M. caught up with her wellness routines. ๐โโ๏ธ
“My last enrichment day was all about wellness! Once the kids were off to school, I started the day with a workout at home. Then I headed to my favorite spa downtown. Every few months they create a new seasonal facial made with fresh, local ingredients. It’s so relaxing! I ended the day by picking my girls up early from school and surprising them with a fun Target run.”
Alok connected with nature. ๐
“I pick up a circle of friends who are like-minded to do something for animals and the Earth. This activity was around a plantation in a deserted area. After that we all cooked for ourselves and had a picnic with music playing to sooth and energize us for the next two to three months. We’ll meet again for a similar experience soon!”
Laura Lee hiked in the snow. ๐๏ธ
“With all the noise and technology in our lives, one of my favorite, restorative things to do is go on treks with my dog, Henri. He is a great companion and a joyful hiker, literally bounding up and down the path, over obstacles, and into any water he can find. On our most recent Enrichment Day, I found myself in the Smoky Mountains. Although there was a light snow dusting at our cabin, I suspected that one of our favorite hikes (Huckleberry Knob with an elevation of 5,300 ft) would have more snow. Henri loves snow!
We hiked the double mountain in 10 inches of fresh powder snow. It was gratifyingly hard work, breathtakingly beautiful, cold as heck, and the perfect way to spend a day with no one other than my dog. I got a fellow trekker to take this snapshot of us at the top.”
Michael rescued a dog. ๐
“I wanted to have an active Enrichment Day, so I decided I’d go out and play some football (soccer) for the morning and then maybe reward myself with a beer in the sun. I got to the field and noticed a German Shepherd dog trotting and sniffing about on the field. Eventually he came over and he half wanted to play (really, he wanted to eat my football). He was friendly and a little scared so I thought he might be lost.
I called my wife and she drove over with our dog’s leash so I could catch him. After a bit of a dance, I caught him and got him in my car. Then we got his chip scanned but had to wait for his proper owners to call so me and my new buddy went for that beer in the sun!
About an hour later I received a call from a woman who was very confused. She was sitting in Northern Michigan and had just received a text saying her cat had been found in Texas by me. She confirmed her cat was currently asleep on her bed. It turned out they’d misread his chip so eventually, four hours after Ipicked him up, I finally got him back to his home. We parted ways as friends having shared a fun, if unplanned, Enrichment Day.”
We love hearing about how our team spent their extra day off once a quarter. If given a chance, how would you enrich your life while the rest of the world was working?
If you’d like to learn more about how to join the Enboarder team, check out our careers page!