Get Outta Here!
About four years ago I finally started taking vacations from work. I’ve been in the business world for almost twenty years. Twenty. And I just started taking vacation for real.
My husband and I have a no-device policy when we go on our relaxing, lounge-on-the-beach vacations. What does that mean, exactly? Well, we don’t bring laptops, we put our cell phones in airplane mode (or just turn them off) and everything goes in the hotel safe from the minute we get there until we’re on the way back to the airport. The only exceptions, which we allow with strict guidelines, are our kindles and a camera.
It’s phenomenal.
Last weekend I went on a retreat into the Rocky Mountains. There was plenty of cell service. I left my phone in my bunk and only checked it once an evening to respond to my husband or send him a hello. We didn’t talk on the phone, I didn’t check email (work or personal), I didn’t open any other apps; I wanted to disconnect as much as possible.
Photo taken in Grand Lake, CO
It was very cleansing.
Did I take photos? Yes, with a camera — not my phone. Did I upload them to social media? Yes, but I did so after I returned from my trip. Did I take as many photos as I would have if my phone was in my pocket the whole time? Probably not. Will I remember my trip without a photo of every moment? Absolutely.
It really wasn’t that long ago: cell phones have only been around for a few decades and texting has only been available since the 90s. The iPhone was born ten years ago and though email has been around for a while, the widespread implementation of take-it-home laptops (and therefore take-it-home work) for employees is still relatively new. But today, we compulsively check our devices (mostly cell phones) for updates and information; slack, text messages, facebook, twitter, email and countless other pings and badges and notifications inundate our everyday lives.
Even when we try to unplug and just use our phones to take photos, we are inevitably distracted by the addicting little notification icons, by seeing an app we want to check in on or by posting to social media (which is a rabbit hole in and of itself). Each time we raise the screen of our phone, we are disconnected from the present moment that we are in and taken instead into the depths of our smart phones. Each time we are reminded of the things we aren’t doing, whether FOMO from seeing posts on social media or being reminded of work, our vacation is no longer a vacation, it’s just normal life from a different place on earth.
So when you take a vacation, why do you stay plugged into the barrage of stressors that reside within these various devices? What are you really taking a vacation from?
When is the last time you watched a beautiful sunset without taking the perfect photo, applying a filter and posting it to instagram? When is the last time you walked through a picturesque little town without taking a selfie in front of the “Welcome to…” sign? When is the last time you just let the experience be the most important part of the journey?
Photo taken in Santa Clara, CA
The next time you take time off from work, I challenge you to achieve the highest level of “unplugged” possible. And each time you take a vacation, try to level up.
Levels of “Unplugged”
Level 1: novice When you get ready to travel or take time off, switch any work-related notifications to “Off”; don’t check in on work-related items.
Level 2: advanced beginner Put your phone on silent. Not “vibrate”… silent. Also, switch your work-related notifications to “Off”; don’t check into work.
Level 3: competent Switch ALL notifications to “Off”; put your phone on silent. Avoid opening the email app, slack or social media.
Level 4: proficient Place your phone in Airplane Mode ALL DAY.
Level 5: expert Turn your phone off, leave it in the hotel safe.
Afraid your family won’t be able to get ahold of you in an emergency? Be sure they have the contact information for the hotel you are staying in and the itinerary for where you will be going — people used to do this all the time before cell phones. If someone needs to get ahold of you, they can do so without your cell phone.
Worried that your coworkers will need you in an emergency? One of two things is true: either you didn’t prep them well enough before your departure or you don’t trust them to do the job well without you. This is an entirely separate blog post (to be written), but suffice it to say that if you prepped your team, finished your work before you left and have a well-informed backup person, there’s no reason they can’t handle your absence for a few days or weeks.
Concerned that you’ll come back to a mountain of email and slack notifications if you don’t check it a little each day? Yeah, you probably will. A better way to deal with this is to budget a little time the day before you go back to work to quickly comb through messages. Be slightly ruthless about deleting/foldering and don’t feel compelled to read every email, back-scroll or channel. If you’ve set a good vacation auto-responder, it’s highly likely that either A) action was already taken by your backup while you were out or B) the sender will reach out again when you’re back if they still need you to address the item. Everything else is an FYI.
I know that it can be scary to unplug from the world. But it can also be incredibly liberating. The next time you take time off, whether it’s a single day from home or a grand trip to another continent, be bold and unplug!
PS: Yes, I do count the over-abundance of photo- and video-taking into this “unplug” equation. Be present. You will have a more gratifying moment if you experience it without that camera lens. Plus, you really don’t need as many photos as you think to spark a memory of a beautiful place or an awesome event.
PPS: Oh, and avoid offering to “check in” while you’re on vacation. All that means is that you’re working remote and you’re likely doing both the vacation and the work poorly. Either vacation or don’t, it’s not helping anyone (least of all you) to attempt to work from your vacation.
It can be scary to unplug from the world. But it can also be incredibly liberating.
Photo taken in Zion National Park, UT
This post was originally published on Medium on August 27, 2018.
