The Power of Disconnecting: My Transformational Vacation

In November, I did something I hadn't done in seven long years – I took a lengthy vacation with my husband and friends and fully disconnected from work. No emails, no texts, no customer inquiries, and no laptop – complete isolation from the office.

I won't bore you with tales of my incredible vacation or the best moments. Instead, I want to share the life-changing lesson I learned during this time away, in the hope that you can take something valuable from my experience.

Three days into the trip, I noticed something remarkable. I wasn't bickering with my husband, criticizing things that didn't warrant it, or feeling the undercurrents of anxiety that had become all too familiar. It's challenging to put into words, but I felt a profound sense of neutrality, as if it was just me and the world. No stress. No pressure. Just a quiet joy that grew with each passing hour.

And my husband noticed something too. While we've always had a wonderful marriage, something felt different. We were more loving, more affectionate, and we were enjoying more special moments.

At that point, I recognized the extent of the stress I had been holding onto and how far I had drifted from experiencing authentic happiness. It took disconnecting from work to truly immerse myself in my life – in my friendships, and to rekindle that special connection with my husband.

In the past, every vacation I took involved working at least an hour or two each day, whether it was handling emails, answering questions from my teams, or pushing through projects. I never truly disconnected, and I didn't realize the high price I was paying for it. It wasn't just affecting me; it was impacting the most important people in my life – my spouse, my family, my friends, and my community. And that's a shame.

I've made a promise to myself – I will never work during a vacation again because I finally understand the importance of investing in my mental and physical health. I will no longer take pride in telling my boss, "Don't worry, I'll be available." And you know what? When my time on this earth comes to an end, I'll never regret not working during more vacations.

Let this be a reminder for all of us – our lives are too precious to be consumed by work, and true happiness comes from cherishing the moments we have with our loved ones. So, make that decision to disconnect, rejuvenate, and prioritize your well-being because, in the end, it's the memories we create outside of the office that truly matter.

So go grab your special person, schedule that vacation, disconnect, and have more fun. You deserve it!