I have just relocated from Canada to Belize which required that I pack up all my computer equipment including my phone. Oh, but now a days that does not mean that we need to disconnect and quit working. Natalie Sisson the Suitecase Entrepreneur provides all sorts of great advice on how to work virtually, which I will be using as I continue to operate my business on an international basis. Technology has made it possible for us to keep connected 24/7. But is this what we really want to do? We need to make choices as to what serves us to have a healthy and vibrant life.
To have healthy balanced lives we also need to take time off and unplug. After six months of focused work I completed another milestone on my book Divine Divorce. Through this period of time I worked with focus and took very little time off to play, which is what work is like for many of my clients. Many of us are working very long days, sometimes six days a week and then having to find time for the family. Life is hectic and we are on the go all the time with very little time for ourselves. Doesn’t it make sense then to take some time 100% for ourselves and unplug?
During my two week break from technology; no internet, no land line, no cell phone, and no texting. I was 100% out of communication, except for the people that were immediately in front of me. I had many nights of ten hours plus of sleep. My body needed the rest and relaxation to rejuvenate and be fully ready to take on the next project that I design for my business. When we take time off we give ourselves a break from the everyday pressures of life, our brain and body begin to de-stress allowing for more creativity to occur.
I was actually astounded at how much sleep I needed to allow my body to rejuvenate. My project inspired me to get out of bed at 5am each morning and keep working to meet the deadline I had set. Even though I got the minimum 7 hours of sleep a night, I was still tired. Sleep deprivation is a major problem, with sleep disorders affecting 40 million people in the US, 1,500 people die of motor vehicle accidents and 40,000 are injured from falling asleep. If we are tired or injured we are not as productive at work or happy in our daily lives.
Take a little downtime, unplug on your next holiday or even for a whole weekend; be healthy, happy and safe.
