Have you heard of Bleisure? In it’s simplest form it is combining business and leisure. People have been refining this practice for years but now it has become an art as author, Emma Lovell, describes in her debut book ‘The Art of Bleisure’. Emma Lovell is an author, master of ceremonies, speaker and business coach who supports people to combine business, travel and self-care in what she calls the “bleisure lifestyle.
Emma has taken her life experience of living the bleisure lifestyle and shared her insights in the book which is designed to be read in a manner that suits the reader – front to back, by chapter or dive into the summary for the highlights reel. We chatted with Emma to find out more about the Bleisure lifestyle and how it manifests in reality.
Can you explain Bleisure and how it plays out in your life?
Business + leisure = bleisure. I define bleisure as the ability to integrate travel and leisure into my working life and I’ve mastered the art of bleisure! I no longer subscribe to the work-work-work-then-play model of living. That is the model I learned growing up, and it is the model most of society follows. That model says, “I deserve leisure only when I’ve earned it. Then I can switch off.” I believe there is another model. Relax first, then work. You will find it easier to focus, do your best and show up undistracted. That’s what bleisure allows you to do.
What inspired you to write your book ‘The Art of Bleisure’?
It’s been a long long time coming – 18 years in fact. I wanted to write a book when I got back from my gap year. I wanted to write a book to help more young people like myself, all of 19 at the time, travel and experience the world. It was going to be a how to. I was slightly delusional back then but here I am today, a published author, and actually the book does have some of that content in it. But now I’ve realised my gift is combining my business and leisure and making the most of my work to fuel my life. Why now? 2023 was a year of grief and challenge and I couldn’t wait to share this message any longer. I know that other people can have more travel and more leisure in their life, and this book will show them how.
What are the benefits of the Bleisure lifestyle?
Bleisure gives you a new world view, it’s really a mindset. It means you are always seeking ways to find more joy in your life. This lifestyle gives you more harmony and flow. It’s not so black and white – work life or personal life. It’s all one life. You won’t be hanging out for your next vacation, because you’ll be enjoying your life at home or on the road. Bleisure can be simply going to a new restaurant. Or taking your laptop outside to work on the balcony. It’s really about looking at how you can increase the leisure, travel and enjoyment in your life, focusing on what’s truly important to you.
What are some examples of decisions you make to live your Bleisure lifestyle?
I prioritise self care and rest, because working too hard or playing too hard is not sustainable. Travel comes first for me, so it’s the motivator for a lot of my decision making. I say a small ‘no’ sometimes, for a greater ‘yes’ and this means doing what I want to do. I choose family, enjoyment and travel over more and more money, which has typically been tied to more work.
What can someone in a corporate 9-5 do to master the art of Bleisure?
I think a lot of people in corporate think this book won’t be for them, but bleisure is about increasing the leisure in your life, not just working from beautiful destinations. It’s about finding ways to have fun and enjoyment while working. At the very least, I think people working in corporate jobs can really make the most of their leave. Don’t just save it all up for a 4 week trip. Spread your holidays out over the year to top up your tank. And truly embrace the long weekend. Take 1-2 days either side of the weekend and have regular little getaways, even a weekend can be so refreshing and revitalising.
What can people do to maximise the travel in their life?
I’ve got a whole chapter on travel hacks because I’m really passionate about this. You don’t necessarily need more money. It’s about choices you make along the way. Such as choosing to stay with a friend, to make your travel dollars go further. Working from where you travel – so you can stay longer, and using frequent flyer points to keep more dollars in your pocket.
What is your best Bleisure story where business and travel combined?
In my definition of bleisure, it is more than adding a few days to a work trip or bringing the family along while you’re working or taking leisure time during the business trip. I create bleisure on every trip. Here’s an example.
In 2023, I went on a work trip to Melbourne with Jade Warne, my colleague, collaborator, client and friend. Our intention was to host a group photoshoot. She’s a photographer, and I was coaching clients about personal branding. A great partnership. We had five clients booked for their photoshoot. Instead of arriving on the morning of the shoot and leaving that night, we built bleisure into our time together over a few days.
The first day, we arrived in Melbourne and visited a few areas where I had clients. We enjoyed a leisurely brunch and swanned around the streets enjoying ourselves. But we were also working. As entrepreneurs, we are always thinking of ideas and brainstorming for one another. We did that all morning as we wandered. We are also both content creators so we captured videos and photos of our experience to share later as marketing, promotional or engaging content for our audiences.
That night, we stayed with the host of this blog, Danielle Phyland, a fellow travel writer. As you may notice, because I mix business and leisure, my clients and colleagues become dear friends. We enjoyed a meal together, all the while discussing our business plans and sharing ideas. In the past, we have collaborated and given each other leads and clients. This networking is such an important part of the entrepreneurial journey.
The next day, we rocked our photoshoot and delivered an amazing experience to our clients. We also then kept the business and leisure combo going by hosting networking drinks. Networking drinks are a typical business activity, but they are also super fun. We are meeting business colleagues and connections, possibly building relationships that could become fruitful in the future, while also having a lot of fun. What’s not to love?
How do you incorporate your family into your Bleisure lifestyle?
For me travel isn’t just about a vacation. It’s not just something I do for fun and to accumulate experiences. It’s about connection, family, and doing what is most important, which is sharing time with the ones I love and the ones I love are scattered across the globe, so off we jet.
Finn, my son, is now three and a half. He’s been on more than 50 flights and visited 12 countries. He’s also been to five of the seven states and territories in Australia. Travel is normal for him. This is—and always will be—the life he knows and sharing it with him – that’s a life I love. My darling, my sunshine is a world traveler already!
Tell us about a Bleisure fail where you had to change your plans?
I haven’t always made the most of working on my laptop. When I was traveling on someone else’s tab, such as my role as a tour manager for charity challenges, I felt the need to rush back to my office.
I didn’t think to ask if I could change my flights and stay on. I could have taken my laptop with me and done an extra couple of days, which is what I do now. I could have worked a few hours a day, and then hung out by the pool or in a funky hotel, soaking up the vibe for another few days. Taking a flight two days later rarely costs more. Yes, you pay for a hotel for a couple of nights—not a lot more.
On one trip as a tour manager on a trek through Sapa Valley in Vietnam, I asked the company if I could extend my stay with some of the group and visit Ninh Binh and Halong Bay. I’d longed to visit these areas but hadn’t done so on my last two tour managing trips to the country. Not only were they fine with it, but they also covered the costs of the extra time as my Christmas present, so I paid nothing extra to stay on.
Lesson: Ask and you shall receive
Whats one thing you would suggest to someone who would like to start living the Bleisure lifestyle?
Prioritise breaks and self care. Having self-care as a daily activity—not weekly or monthly—protects my health and happiness in my business and my life. Read these words and take note: I would take a broken body over a broken mind any day. You do not have to break physically, mentally or emotionally to … TAKE A BREAK
The bleisure life demands a particular attention to self-care. If you, like me, want to mix your personal life with business and travel, you will have to pay more attention than most to looking after your mental, emotional and physical health. When you ditch the boundaries and rules of the broader society, you must set your own boundaries. It’s a lesson I learned the hard way. You can take it from me.
How can someone buy your book?
People who are interested in reading about ‘the art of bleisure’ can visit my website https://www.emmalovell.au/book and there’s also a list of all the online retailers where you can get you copy too.
It was fantastic to speak to Emma about the Bleisure lifestyle and we encourage all readers to grab a copy of the book. The Poss and Ruby team are very honoured to have been featured as a case study in Emma’s book, check us out on page 178.
We would love to hear your thoughts on the Bleisure lifestyle and if you are currently living it or thinking of introducing it into your life. Leave a comment below.
