Going Wireless for 3 Days

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of taking a trip to lovely Vancouver, BC.  It’s one of my very favorite cities in the world and I love that we live only a few hours away.  We ate, we shopped, we hired a babysitter, we played in the park, we took a miniature train ride.  But, more important than the awesome fun we had is that I went wireless for 3 whole days!

This is sorta hard for me to do because I really do love technology.  I love email.  I love social media too.  I have a hard time not responding to email as soon as it hits my inbox. And, I get MAD F.O.M.S. (Fear Of Missing Something) not being on Twitter on #FollowFriday.  I also have a weakness for all iPhone apps, particularly those involving mind-twisters and teasers.  Tetris is my current addiction, just like it was in 1989.

I’ve done this before… gone “wireless” for a few days.  But, it is rare.  And, every time I do, I am blown away with how liberating it is.  I always learn these same lessons…

5 Thing I Learned While Wireless

1 – Multi-tasking is not for human interaction

The problem with multi-tasking all day every day is that you start to do that in your personal relationships.  And, even if you aren’t running to the computer between personal conversation (or checking your iPhone) you are itching to do so.  Here’s what I mean:

YOUR JOB:  Type up a proposal, mind wanders, check Twitter, back to design invites, mind wanders, check facebook, phone rings, talk talk, check email, write a blog article, phone rings, wrong number, back to the article
YOUR HOME:  See your husband, talk a while, mind wanders, (inner monologue: did that client want red or pink cardstock), play with baby, mind wanders, (anxiousness to check email), “focus on the tea time”, (inner monologue: wonder what my blog should say tomorrow?)

You see how that works?  When you mind is constantly moving, it’s hard to stop.  Going wireless allows you to do so.  It allows you to focus on the people around you.  It allows your mind to stop RACING.

2 – Presence is a Gift

Being present to the people in your life is very valuable.  This isn’t just about physical presence… complete mind, body, and soul.  This is especially true if you have children.  I notice that when I am fully engaged with my daughter Lili that she is on her best behavior with me.  If you want people to treat you a certain way, you must treat them with the utmost respect.  If you want peaceful and harmonious relationships in your life, you must be present.

3 – Rest the Mind so that it can be Stronger

If you’ve ever done any athletic or strength training, you’ll know that it’s important to rest your body to maximize your strength, endurance, and agility.  The same is true for your mind.  Because our minds don’t need to rest in the same way as our bodies do, we forget this.  However, being part of the wedding industry, we are constantly working creatively and analytically.  In order to make the most of our talent, we must give our brain a rest.  This doesn’t mean that you completely zone out of life.  It means that you tune out of work for a few days.  I’m amazed at how clearly I saw the world (at least my business’s world) when I took the time to step away from it.

4 – Sleep on It

The best lesson my dad ever taught me was this, “Michelle, if you ever have a problem.  And, you are having a hard time making a good decision.  Go to bed and sleep on it.  You’ll wake up in the morning and you’ll know what to do.”  He told this to me when I was 8, so I’m sure he was referring to long division.  But, the lesson is true for all things.  This goes along with #3 on my list.  Sleeping helps you wake up refreshed.  And, if you are wireless for a few days, you’ll certainly sleep better.

5 – I didn’t miss a thing!

I opened up my email Monday night to ~234 emails (and that was only in my business account).  And, you know what – I didn’t miss a thing!  I had 20 very important and solid emails.  Of those 20, nothing was urgent.  The other 214 emails?  Spam, junk, trash, etc.  It made me realize that the time I waste deleting email is huge.  It made me realize that often I jump to check and find *nothing*.  It made me realize that the world will not deconstruct, burn to a crisp, and send me an email that I miss because I’m on vacation.  So why do I torture myself so?  Why do I miss out on so many good things on account of 214 useless emails?  Why don’t I take 3 wireless days more often?

I think this is the start of something good.

How about you?  What have your experiences been when you’ve gone wireless?  Did the world deconstruct?