The older I get the more exasperated I become with technology. Not in an I-Can’t-Figure-Out-This-Word-Document way, but because I never feel still. Between social media, e-mails, and the new etiquette where you can call or text anyone anytime, I never stop working and I never unplug. As a result, I’m forever seeking moments when I can go off-the-grid. A few weeks ago my dad and I went up to a mountain in NH for a brief hike. Then we toured his old boy scout camp nearby. It was a glorious few hours of being active, outdoors, and off my phone.
Unfortunately our contemporary work culture, and my industry in particular, requires me to be available almost always. But I’m trying more and more to separate myself at least once a week. I saw something online recently that said something to the effect of: remember that if you die, your work will hold a 30-minute meeting about who will take over your work and move on.
That gave me some perspective. Even if you love, love your job, like I do, it can’t be your whole life.
Where should I go on my next off-the-grid day?