Hi {{contact.first_name}}
I imagine that, like me, you're probably just back from some kind of holiday. Even if you are not tied to school term dates, just inhabiting the research world aligns most of us with the academic calendar to some degree. I, for one, have really appreciated that time doing something totally different to my normal day job.
I recently heard someone on a podcast talking about how the best conference they ever went to was at a mountain resort where they alternated typical conference presentations with skiing (they were an American medical doctor so I suspect this was all paid for by some big pharma company). I know you are probably thinking - pah, good for them, my conference budget can just about stretch to coffee and biscuits - but bear with me. It's not the lavish location I'm getting at.
The speaker's point was that the time he spent skiing gave his brain time to process and absorb the scientific information, so that he remembered more of it. I'm sure you have experienced something similar - I know I have. The name for my podcast came to me on a walk. I remember I used to get great ideas on the bus when I had a long commute to work. Our brains need time to think, to process and to make connections. Lots of research studies (including this one) have shown that taking breaks help us to learn.
So what is the takeaway for our research gatherings? Resist the urge to cram every second of the programme with talks or information. Make the breaks a bit longer. Include some less information-intensive activities. Think about ways to help people process information beyond the standard Q&A - discussion, group activities, even crafts! Even better you might include something physical to give the brain a total break - it doesn't have to be skiing, it could just be a walk outdoors.
