Part of achieving a healthy work-life balance is allowing yourself to take a break. Whether you’re going for a short weekend away, or a longer trip, it’s easy to unplug from a constant state of connectivity to unwind – with a little self-discipline!
Technology and social media have made it easy to connect with friends and family, know what’s going on in the world at any moment and search and purchase whatever we need instantaneously. The negative impact however, is that it can limit our attention span, memory, mood, energy levels and our ability to feel ourselves and live in the present moment.
There are many benefits to stepping away and taking time to actively disconnect. You’ll be giving your body, mind and emotions the time to unwind and recharge, from the constant stimulation of electronic devices.
It’s well know that the blue light from computers and phones lead to fatigue, stress and strain. When you’re on alert constantly, waiting for the next message or notification, your nervous system can’t fully unwind, which affects your ability to rest deeply at night.
If you take the time to have a break and unwind, you’ll be more productive; a break can bring in higher levels of thinking, reflection and creativity. This in turn will help you connect more to you and be in the present.
Being in beautiful open spaces in nature in inspiring, activates your senses, gets you earthed and at-one with nature. Exploring new activities opens your heart and mind, creating new memories, as does enjoying being by yourself and/or with the company of others.
Start by planning when you’ll be away and for how long and what level of connectivity you’ll need.
No. 1: Set Clear Expectations
Set the expectation that you will be unreachable until you return, so fewer people will try to get in touch. This will allow you time and space to unplug completely. If you do need to attend to work-related matters, create a few ground rules and stick to them. E.g. Pop into your inbox once a day, for no more than 15 minutes.
No. 2: Filter Your Email Inbox
Set up an automated out-of-office responder email, to inform people you’re away and include the date of your return. Set incoming emails to automatically be filed in a folder, so you don’t have to deal with them until you return. Unsubscribe from emails you don’t read.
No 3: Limit Your Phone Access
When you’re at home, turn you phone on silent and put it in a drawer in another room. Set no-phone zones in you home e.g. the dining room, or an entire living space. Create time to sit down with friends and family in person versus communicating with them on your phone. If you are going out visiting, leave your phone at home. If you’re away, leave your phone in a drawer for as long as you can, and try not to take it out with you. Set a time limit of under 10 minutes for scrolling social media feed in the morning or evening.
No 4: Plan Your Return
Often people fail to take a break, because the thought of returning to work means there will be an overwhelming amount of tasks to complete. Plan your return by blocking out a couple of hours to respond to emails the day you get back. Also, schedule times to connect with colleagues, to get updated on anything you may have missed.
No 5: Commit to Unplug and Unwind
To unplug and unwind you need to commit, follow through and disconnect from technology. Notice how grounded, centred and settled you feel when you don’t spend your day responding to text messages, or reacting to social media posts.
Finally, meditation in one of the easiest and best ways to unplug and reconnect to you. Learn more.