The work-life balance brigade has been busy. This year I’ve seen:
Resorts and retreats dedicated to separating many a professional’s money from his or her wallet, by offering them an unplugged escape. No phones or Internet, “Pay more, get less” all part of the marketing ploy lest the Facebook or Pinterest toxic cooties take root. IDK.
Post after story after article, one person after another blathering about how they left the Interwebs or Social Media for a month or a year; maybe sold their iPhone and resorted to letters, carrier pigeons, even the dreaded landline phone call to communicate with other humans, used that cable/ISP money they saved to buy stamps and more booze. IDK.
Me. Rolling my eyes. Hard.
It’s Me
No really, it is. I’m busy, but don’t have crazy social followings or a constant barrage of texts and emails, pokes and replies. Even so, I use the technology to work faster, make my life easier. (Better, always subject for debate.)
I’m nowhere near as ‘hooked’ as my technology junkie self pretends to be. But how anyone finds going cold techno turkey easy or better, I have no idea.
One smarter-than-cutting-the-cord solution I read, kill the notifications. No more beeps, cheeps, chimes, pings. Almost makes too much sense: run your phone – don’t let it run you.
One of the first things I found when I got my iPhone, that ‘mute’ slider on the side. In the movies or at dinner, that little button does the trick.
IMHO: Throwing out your smartphone or unplugging from the Internet WON’T put the balance back in your work-life balance. Putting boundaries, limits, BALANCE back in will.
I’m gone for a week – iPhone and iPad in tow, having already turned of auto-posts and email subscriptions. Among my vacation activities will be:
- Pictures and updates. Posting a few here and there, just enough to make everyone almost hate me while wishing me nice time.
- Reading. I hope to read at least one or two e-books whilst lounging in a padded beach chair, sipping an umbrella cocktail. (See, you don’t have to wait for photos.. get your hate on now. ;-))
- Making my travel go smoother, faster, easier via apps like TripIt and Kayak.
Sometimes my iToys do get the better of me, but I know my boundaries. Y’all keep an eye on the Interwebs for me and I’ll see you in September. FWIW.
Well, you know I don’t believe in work-life balance, but that’s a topic for another day;) What I do believe in is embracing imbalance, riding the roller-coaster-teeter-totter that is life. Sometimes that’s working hard. Sometimes that’s playing hard. And everything in between. Enjoy the play! Cheers! Kaarina
Kaarina Dillabough recently posted..What Are Your Employees Doing When You’re Not Around?
We all find whatever we call balance our own ways, all figure out how to manage this, that, all things in between. Hear you on all that – though my plan is to work less hard, play much more. 😉