Just imagine what you would do with your time and life if you had no access to the screens that consume your attention, just about every day, so it seems. As you walk down a crowded street, notice how many people are walking “heads down” — staring at their phones instead of watching where they are going or taking in the beauty and bounty all around or treating the people in their lives and work to the extraordinary gift of their full attention.
It is quite a refreshing experience if you give it a try. So that is what I did. I needed to calm my head, clear my mind, and remember the source of joy for my life and work.
I set aside five glorious days for my “technology diet.” That meant:
• No cell phone
• No social media
• No email
• No access to a computer keyboard of any kind
The first day or so, I was very uncomfortable. I felt very disconnected. I wondered and worried about what could be going on online that I might be missing.
To divert my attention and focus, I read a few books. I removed the wallpaper border in our guest room and painted it. I took the dog for a walk. I went to the gym to exercise. I napped … a lot. And I spent some quality time with my husband, son, and dog.
And guess what?
My head calmed down. I allowed space to dream about new and creative things beyond the tasks of my day to day life and work. And I came back to work refreshed.
The world and my own business did not stop spinning because I untethered from technology for a few days. Alert the media, so I say with a wink and a grin.
Best of all, my head stopped spinning with all the noise that crowds my head. And that was a delightful and welcome result.
I highly recommend disconnecting from technology for a few days to welcome the fresh perspective that comes about when you open your eyes to the things that really matter.
For me, that means making room for better relationships, real connections, and purposeful actions that invite welcome and abundant rewards.
I am happiest in my work and my life when I am connecting in a real, genuine way to make my best impact.
Yes, technology has a role, and it is just one ingredient in a more complete package of skills, gifts, and abilities that make me come alive.
Going forward, I will be adopting new standards and expectations with respect to the use of technology in my life and work. For example:
• I will post to Facebook less frequently.
• It may take 24 hours for me to reply to emails that come my way, excluding the weekends.
• Customer service requests will be tended to during “regular” business hours and not at all hours of the day and night.
• And I’ll continue to tinker with the recipe until the seasoning is just right in service to your needs while tending to my own.
Just curious, what adjustments can you make in your business to use technology in a way that supports your success without compromising the quality of your life?
It’s an interesting question to ponder, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Share them here.
Looking forward to the opportunity to connect with you one day soon.
