Kris Reid Shares How to “Defrag” the Mind and Essential Travel Tips for a Deeper Experience
Have you ever wondered what a computer geek/SEO Superstar does to unplug and unwind? Or how to step out of your comfort zone to pursue your dreams and travel the world? Chad Bostick, the host of Hello Tech Podcast, dishes these questions to Kris Reid, the Coolest Guy in SEO.
This Sunday Being Unplugged episode is full of rich tips on how to achieve better work-life balance, how to have richer travel experiences, and other interesting life experiences from two guys who thrive in the tech industry but who, at the same time, promote unplugging yourself to take things slow.
A Little Bit about Chad Bostick, Podcast Host, Tech Expert, and Avid Traveller
Chad has actually struggled with social anxiety since he was a child. He was more comfortable facing computers rather than people.
Today, he certainly has a come a long way. He now advocates for Social Anxiety Disorder awareness in the tech industry. Chad has had leadership roles in several technology companies, including Zynga and iBEAM Broadcasting.
He is also the host of the Hello Tech Pros podcast where he helps in building businesses, careers, and products. The show provides plenty of insight on how techpreneurs and technology professionals can overcome their anxieties and challenges, as well as the opportunities and secrets to success in their line of work.
Get to Know Kris Reid, Computer Geek and SEO Superstar
Earning the title the “Coolest Guy in SEO” was no easy feat for Kris. He went through a lot of challenges, from surviving freezing temperatures in Siberia to developing alopecia due to overworking himself while setting up his business in the Philippines.
But with his determination to provide top-quality SEO services to businesses and to achieve better work-life balance, he was able to improve not only his company but also his overall health.
As the CEO of Ardor SEO, a company that specialises in SEO services, authority marketing, and reputation engineering, you will find Kris busy communicating with clients and his remote team on how to give customers the results they need. His workday is filled with making sales and, at the same time, steering his staff towards providing the best quality of work.
Because he works so hard, he makes sure to have plenty of downtimes to replenish his energy and to avoid burnout. Don’t be surprised to find this CEO taking long walks in comfy yoga pants or hopping from one country to another to pursue his love for travel.
How to “Defrag” the Mind
Chad and Kris both agree on the importance of unplugging in order to not lose sight of your priorities in life. Here are some of the highlights from their discussion on this topic.
1. What does being unplugged really mean to Kris?
Kris says it means the world to him because he has a high-pressure job and is confronted with making a gazillion decisions each day at work. So he really needs time to “defrag” his brain.
Chad agrees and shares his own struggles with having to make too many decisions that even deciding what to eat becomes too stressful sometimes.
2. Importance of having a routine
Continuing their discussion on making decisions, Kris says he might even eat the same thing for breakfast just to have one less thing weighing on his mind.
Kris then shares what his morning routine is and mentions he does Ashtanga yoga every day. This perks Chad’s curiosity about Ashtanga yoga and how it has helped Kris with his work and daily life.
They both agree that having a routine helps in having one less thing to think about each day and allows your mind to have more free space for other things that require decision making.
3. How to unwind after work?
Kris shares he has dinner with friends, reads a book, listens to podcasts, or goes on long walks. Having time with himself is important to him too.
Meanwhile, Chad goes on long runs. Even if it rips his body apart, it allows him to let go of negative emotions and thoughts. He listens to funny/comedy podcasts or audiobooks while running so he doesn’t end up thinking about work-related stuff.
While both enjoy hanging out and socialising, they both agree that having alone time is also essential.
On Deeper Travel Experiences
Between the two of them, Kris and Chad have travelled thousands of kilometres. Kris has lived in nine countries, while Chad has lived in three states in the USA and has visited several destinations across the globe. They both discuss the challenges of travelling to places with unfamiliar languages or cultures, as well as the benefits of seeing more of the world.
1. Getting out of your comfort zone
Kris shares that when he was in Siberia, what was most unforgettable about living there was the extreme cold and how isolated he felt due to the language barrier. The two then discussed how a difference of language or even just an accent can create a sort of hostility from the locals which can affect a foreigner’s experience of the place.
Aside from language difficulties, there are so many terrible things going on all over the world. So, why take the risk and travel?
Both Chad and Kris came from rural areas which weren’t familiar with foreigners and generally had no exposure to other people in the world. But they both ended up travelling all across the globe. Essentially, if you want to experience the world and life, you have to overcome your fears and get out of your comfort zone.
2. Travel tips from Kris
• Get off the beaten track – drink coffee in a cafe with the French, sip cognac and smoke cigars in a back alley in St. Petersburg instead of just going for the popular tourist attractions
• Experience how the locals live
• There’s always still a lot to see and experience, you’re never “done” with a place
Final Words of Wisdom from Kris
“Be present in your life. Don’t be wishing your days away.”
“Make the most of every day and live to the utmost and enjoy it.”
Want more insightful tips on defragging the mind?
Listen to the whole podcast episode on the Hello Tech Pros website, iTunes, or Stitcher.
To get in touch with Chad, catch him on Twitter at @chadbostick.
If you wish to have a chat with Kris, you get in touch with him here.
