For December’s theme of productive rest, HETMA brings a special crossover: a Big Think Thursday live stream from the HETMA Community feed, captured on Joe Way’s dock in sunny Southern California. Joe and AVNation’s Tim Albright dig into what it really looks like to rest on purpose when your calendar usually makes you wince. From learning to say no after 30 years of always saying yes, to hacking the Thanksgiving week for maximum recharge with minimal PTO, Tim shares how he protects his time and energy while still showing up for the industry. He also walks through how he applies an 80/20 lens to his weekly to-do list, identifying the one or two non-negotiable tasks each day that genuinely move his personal and professional goals forward—including daily rewrites on a book he’s working to release in 2026.

The conversation widens out to travel season and life on the road: balancing plane-time productivity with intentional unplugging through fiction reading and downloaded shows, and why hobbies like golf and Brazilian jiu jitsu become built-in therapy sessions for people who otherwise never stop moving. Along the way, Joe and Tim touch on mentorship, asking for help without feeling like a burden, weather jealousy between California and the Midwest, and a bit of community breaking news around new roles and upcoming HETMA Roadshows. It’s a relaxed, honest episode that models exactly what it’s talking about: making space for rest, connection, and purpose in the middle of a very full life.

Topics Discussed

• Why learning to say no is essential for avoiding calendar overload
• Using the Thanksgiving week as a strategic recharge window with minimal PTO
• Applying an 80/20 framework to weekly planning and daily non-negotiables
• Carving out 30 minutes a day for deep work, like book rewrites or career development
• The difference between technical skills growth and learning to manage and lead people
• Overcoming the discomfort of asking for help and building mentoring relationships
• Managing busy travel seasons by splitting plane time between work and intentional rest
• How hobbies like golf and Brazilian jiu jitsu force real mental and digital unplugging
• Weather, seasons, and the tradeoffs between Midwest snow and Southern California sunshine
• Community moments: job news, HETMA Roadshows, and AVNation’s ongoing partnership with HETMA

Want to keep the #Roadto10K momentum going and continue this conversation about productive rest, boundaries, and career growth? Join the community discussion at community.hetma.org.