Disconnect to Reconnect

All the leadership and management books that we have on our book shelves or articles that we read, have we ever read about how not to burnout? So many times we feel like the whole world is collapsing in on us and what we need to do is to disconnect from our job in order to reconnect.

So what is meant by disconnecting? To disconnect you need to turn off all electronics such as, computers, cell phones, and television. You will need to get away from your office and home by going to a remote location and take in the natural beauty and surroundings. For me that place is Durango, Colorado where we are surrounded by 14ers (that Colorado speak for tall mountains). By turning off your computer, cell phone, and television you are not constantly being updated with the news.  

What will disconnecting do for you? You will come back to your organization with a renewed sense of purpose. This fresh mind and blank page will give you an unusual perspective on the state of your organization and job. By shutting down your computers, cell phones, and televisions you will not have a biased opinion on what might have happened in the world and your organization.

Another way to disconnect to reconnect is to set up boundaries for yourself and those around you, both family and job. When you go to bed use your manual alarm clock and not your cell phone alarm. Turn off your cell phone so that you can sleep without any interruption. Set a specific time to check your emails, for example: after you have dressed and brushed your teeth in the morning. Don’t answer your emails after 8 p.m. and on the weekends. All this will help you to keep a fresh outlook on your job and organization.

Still another GREAT way to disconnect is to get involved with the community or a charity in your community. This will help channel your energy toward giving back to the community and will help you to keep that freshens in your mind.  

Now on a Monday morning you arrive at your office to reconnect and you will be refreshed and looking at issues with a new perspective. Issues, problems, and concerns will be dealt with in a way that will help both you and the organization to overcome by not using the same old tricks.

So let’s Disconnect so that we can Reconnect and be a better citizen in our organization, community and most importantly our family.