I enjoy working all the time. I am always online and in touch with whoever reaches out to me. It’s because I am passionate about what I do and I am able to combine my personal and business life.
But, every two years for the last 14 years, I go on vacation with my family and totally get off the grid for two to four weeks. No email, social media, no newspapers, no internet, no phone calls or texting. The first few times it was scary, but then I realized that I gained much more than I missed.
This year, we went to Rwanda and South Africa. Seeing the mountain gorillas was always a bucket list thing for me. At one of the lodges, I met the CEO of a Silicon Valley tech startup. He missed the first wildlife game drive with his wife. When I asked him why, he said that he had a company conference call. When I questioned him why he did a conference call while he was on vacation he stated “I wanted to set a good example for my company”. I thought “Why doesn’t he set a good example for his company by NOT working with on his vacation?”
You see after a few days off the grid, my mind slowed down so I had more of a chance to have longer and deeper conversations with my family and other people we met. I was more patient and noticed more things I typically missed. There were less things to remember and less thoughts crowding my mind. With everything slower, I was able to come up with better insights. I wrote and read more. I just was.
This type of down time also allows me to “get over” myself for a few weeks and stop being the center of my world. I like to travel to different cultures because it makes me realize how much bigger the world is than me. Daily, I get so wrapped up in what I am doing, I lose sight of the more important world view. I forget how supremely lucky I am and the challenges so many others in the world face every day.
Now it’s your turn. Set an example by getting off the grid while you are on vacation. You will be surprised how much it can help you and your business.
