Plugged in or Unplugged?

A few weeks ago before I was leaving on a business trip, my husband Ted said to me “don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.” My initial reaction was, “I will do that when I get all of my work done and have a chance to relax.” 

In this wired world of 24/7, I sometimes feel the very tools that make our lives easier and more efficient, can also make it nearly impossible to disconnect as we are never more than a click away. I find myself wondering…Is there really a way to unplug? Trying to balance it all is still a challenge for me, and I realize that my work may never be done—there will always be something more to do. And so, I need to actually make time to enjoy life instead of postponing it until it fits into my schedule.

With the long holiday weekend ahead, I plan to disconnect from technology and reconnect with myself and those who mean the world to me. I look forward to smelling the roses…savoring the smells of the barbeque and enjoying the sounds of conversation and laughter with friends and family. I know that if I can actually disconnect for a few days, I will come back refreshed and re-energized.

As women, we constantly try to do it all. This weekend we’re celebrating Independence Day so let’s savor that independence for ourselves by taking a break. I hope you can unplug and join me in taking time to smell the roses.

Barbara

By blogger Barbara Adachi, Deloitte LLP

Comments

[Charmaine in Philadelphia]

You are absolutely right! Women do have a tendency to try and fit everything into a schedule. I'm on unemployment, but I still get up at the same time every day to work on a different project.

[Ellie in San Jose]

I was largely unplugged for the long weekend and really appreciated our organization's push for everyone to unplug and enjoy, as it meant very few emails received during the 4 days. With family visiting from out of town, we enjoyed paddle boats on Loch Lomond in the Santa Cruz mountains on Thursday, along with good friends, good food and lots of badminton the rest of the weekend. It was a great break!