I know I’m not breaking new ground here. Lots of people have written about this. And I think this post is more of a reminder to me than for you. But alas, here we go:
For the past two weekends, I’ve made a point of staying off of my computer or my smartphone as much as possible. I’ve found that it’s been really helpful in calming down and getting mentally ready for the week ahead. I recommend it for you, too. Here’s why I think it’s important to “unplug” every once in a while:
Recharge the batteries
In lieu of taking an actual vacation (or “staycation” which will be the reality for me), taking the weekend “off” from the computer or the smartphone (for the most part) can be refreshing… particularly if you’re like someone like me who checks work email at all hours of the night (smartphone being a blessing and a curse, naturally). It’s not as solid of a recharge as a full week vacation, but it’s something. Less stress on the mind and body. It’s good.
Rediscover your family
Admittedly, I’m not the best at this–even on the weekends–but by unplugging, I have more time to spend with my wife and my daughter. During the week, I’m busy with work, and I only have limited time with my daughter before she goes to bed. Then most nights, my wife works and I’m working on this blog or working on projects for work. So weekends are our time to be together as a family.
Think about your priorities with greater clarity
I’m not saying you’ll solve all of your problems or discover what you’ve been missing, but unplugging gives you a great chance to think things through. I wish I could tell you I’ve come up with something ingenious or discovered what I want to be when I grow up, but no such revelations yet.
So I encourage you to unplug as you can. I didn’t unplug completely this weekend, but I made a better effort. You can, too.
If you’ve unplugged lately, tell me–how did it affect you?
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