2020 UNPLUGGED

If 100 people were asked to describe 2020 in one word, you would most likely get a majority of words that centered around the global pandemic and almost certainly would focus around the negative impact that it has had around the world. As I ask myself this question, I'm choosing to focus around a positive. While many of us are searching for new jobs, trying to reinvent our careers or even hanging on by a thread to a small business, the word that comes to mind is "Unplugged".

In any (other) given point in time, our adult lives have been so focused around the hustle and bustle of the "rat race". Up early, skip lunch, work late, go home, eat, sleep, repeat. For all intents and purposes living for the weekend so we can spend some quality time with our significant others and/or children.

As leaders in our respective fields, we have a demanding schedule. Business goes on, life goes on, job searching goes on. That being said, I want to encourage everyone to find the time to not work… to consciously make the effort to get absolutely nothing done. Schedule unproductive time. It sounds totally contrary to what we are always told… work hard, be productive, do more in less time, etc, etc…

Don’t get me wrong, we need to get the job done, but we also need down time and time to decompress, reset ourselves and unplug from our surroundings. It’s easier said than done, but it’s essential!

A recent study by the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) found that 60% of those who use smartphones for work are connected 13.5 or more hours a day, 5 days a week, and spend an additional 5 hours combined reading/responding to and thinking about emails on their 2 days off. That means the majority of these people are spending around 72 hours a week connected to work! There is no doubt that we are ruled by the technical world. Our lives revolve around Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Emails, Twitter and any number of countless apps that exist. Research shows that removing a digital device from the bedroom alone can mean better sleep! I mean, how many times have you been woken up by your phone ringing or buzzing? Studies even show that the light from your phone can affect the brain, disrupting sleep and lead to long-term sleep deprivation...You wake up feeling tired! Converse studies show that when you can successfully disconnect from the flow of information, the brain actually grows and develops better! Psychologists compare it to the overuse of a muscle. Have you ever climbed up and down a ladder for an extended period of time… you feel achy after a while… well the same is true of your brain. It’s a contrary thought to what we are used to hearing “Use your brain”, “Think harder”.

All of this puts “stress” on the brain. When we can cut down on checking into the business, looking at emails obsessively, and worrying about what tomorrow will bring, we can actually lower our stress levels, potentially even decreasing the physical effects of stress… stomach problems, chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, muscle pain and the like.

The English psychiatrist Anthony Storr wrote that “by far the greater number of new ideas occur during a state of reverie, intermediate between waking a sleeping.” Basically he’s saying daydreaming, disconnecting and unplugging from the craziness of the day all helps to reset yourself and begin working again in a clearer, happier and more conscious level than before.

When you call an IT help desk, what do they typically tell you to do? Most likely they will tell you to reset or “unplug” the device. When you plug it back in, there’s a really good chance it will work. 

Most of us won't have the opportunity to spend this much time at home again, with our families until we're retired! Take this for the blessing that it is. Play with your kids, watch a movie with your husband or wife... UNPLUG!

Doing absolutely nothing just may help us to get more out of our business and ourselves for the remainder of 2020.