A few days ago, I returned from Oregon where I did a 3 night white water rafting trip with my family and friends on the Deschutes River. We had an amazing time and I learned a lot about myself along the way. There was no cell phone or internet access available for the whole trip. I turned off my phone for over 3 days! This gave me such as awareness of how much I use my phone for calls, texts, Facebook, and e-mails all day every day.

I will admit that I have a bit of an obsession with the internet. I check my e-mails very often, especially since opening my private practice a little more than one year ago.  Being away from it all allowed me to realize just how much time and energy it takes to do this.  It took almost 24 hours to get used to not checking my phone. Pretty pathetic, right? But, have you tried it?  What would it be like for you if you couldn’t communicate via technology for a few days?

After that 1st 24 hours, I was fine and could really relax and enjoy the trip. That’s not to say that I didn’t think about some of my patients. My thoughts would wander and I actually got some new perspectives on a couple of cases while peering over the hills and rocks. When you do work you love, it’s hard to completely check out. But, do we need to obsess in order to be good at what we do? Will people really be that upset if an e-mail or phone call is not replied to that same day?

I had cut back on my Facebook time before the trip, mostly because I didn’t have time to keep up and that was fine. But, truly unplugging from all technology was very good for me. No one suffered because I took a break. I was able to truly be present with my thoughts without constant interruption. And yes, isn’t it all an interruption?  How are our brains supposed to work with the constant ping of e-mails, updates, and texts? How are we to truly relax if we allow ourselves to check e-mail relentlessly?  I realized that since undertaking my new practice, I haven’t done much true resting at all, until last week.

And guess what? I feel great!  I feel recharged and rejuvenated. I have a renewed energy for continuing to grow my practice. My shoulder doesn’t ache and I can breathe more deeply. Of course, we often feel better after returning from a vacation, but this is different. Usually on vacation, I am still e-mailing and checking voice mail, and while I did do this some of the days, I took the rafting trip totally off. Unplugging completely freed my mind and spirit to be free from daily pressures, advice needed, and questions asked.  When is the last time you allowed this for yourself?

While it will be very difficult to unplug completely in my normal life, I plan to be better about my obsession. I will take days completely off from work e-mail and voice mail. I will plan days when I barely pick up my phone at all.  I do believe that everyone I serve will benefit from these breaks, including myself. I think they will help to prevent burn-out. These breaks will allow me to stay fresh and clear to be ready to tackle issues for others.

What would happen if you unplugged every now and then?  Have you considered how much time you spend every day with technology? Do you ever allow yourself to work uninterrupted?  Do you allow your brain time off from the pings, clicks, and buzzes?  I would love to hear your thoughts on this below!