I recently did something I haven’t done in many, many years – went on a vacation where I was completely unreachable. I didn’t bring my laptop, check emails or sneak in the occasional client call. I fully unplugged and was present in the moment.
Granted, leaving the country had a lot to do with the unplugging as I wasn’t going to lug around a laptop along with my luggage. But I did make a conscious choice to ignore emails.
This vacation, while rare for me, was years in the making. It was a well-planned mother-daughter trip to explore Europe. We both worked hard saving and planning for this.
In my planning, I realized it had been YEARS since I’ve taken a proper vacation. Being self-employed and a speaker, I tend to combine work and pleasure, thinking that’s close enough to a holiday. It’s not. For example, when I go to Ontario to deliver workshops, I also cram in family visits and responsibilities, leaving no room for downtime.
Now that I’m back and scrolling through my photos, I realize how badly I needed this vacation. And most importantly, the value of prioritizing ME.
Creating space
While it can be tempting to keep pushing on, the benefit of planning and taking a vacation is it takes you away from your daily grind. I had so much fun researching the places we visited, watching YouTube videos, booking outings and learning about the area.
I had so much fun exploring before I even left home. It created a much-needed space to take a break from my daily routine. Watching a Rick Steeves video on Paris, transported me to an area I was excited to explore.
And when it came time for the actual trip, being forced to unplug, freed me to be fully present in the moment. My biggest decision was where to eat lunch or what museum to visit. It also gave me time to truly connect with my teenage daughter (which you parents know is a blessing not to be taken for granted).
New perspectives
While I do travel a lot for work, it’s always with a focus on the project, speaking engagement or client meeting. I see the part of the city where I’m working, with little time to explore or wonder.
Through my travels, I learned not only about the history of the incredible European cities we visited, but also the perspectives of the people who live there. As a former reporter, I’m always asking questions and approach conversations with a curiosity mindset.
If you take the time to listen openly, you can learn a lot. Being a Canadian travelling abroad, I was exposed to new perspectives on global politics, food, culture and even human relationships.
I’ve always been wary about being tied to closely to one view of the world. The danger when we surround ourselves with people who think like we do (which is human nature) is we miss out on learning about other perspectives.
A great perk of travelling outside of your comfort zone, is being exposed to different perspectives.
Chance to unwind
While the goal of any vacation is to unwind, when you sneak an email here or phone call there you never truly unplug.
When I told colleagues I was taking a month off, the common response was shock. What will your clients do? Will they be upset? Won’t you fall behind?
The whole reason I became a consultant in the first place was to manage my own schedule. Yet, for a variety of reasons, I haven’t taken such a large chunk of time off in over 20 years (eek).
Since I’m my own boss, I thought it was time to embrace this flexibility. While yes, it did take a lot of planning, the benefits were well worth it.
And having a month alone with my daughter is time I will cherish forever – especially since she’s heading off to university in a year. You can’t put a price tag on connecting with your child.
Fresh appreciation
Now that I’m back and reflecting our epic adventures, I have an even greater appreciation for where we live. I’m blessed to live in the Pacific Northwest where we have amazingly clear air, surrounded by nature.
After struggling to breath in congested Paris and pushing through crowds in the Palace of Versailles, I’m more than happy to return to my rural community.
I also have newfound energy for my clients, projects and speaking work. Having stepped away from it all, I’m excited to roll up my sleeves and get back to work.
Well, after a quick nap to get over this jet lag.
When was the last time you took a true vacation and fully unplugged? If it’s been over 5 years, what’s stopping you? What planning do you need to do to make it happen?
I’m already planning our next trip. While it will be a few years out, I definitely won’t be waiting another 35 years to visit Europe.