On Disconnection
When was the last time you actually disconnected from work?
While getting ready to leave for my honeymoon, the only intention I set for myself was to feel as free and as carefree as possible for the next two weeks.
Leading up to the trip, my brain was filled with a lot of noise:
What am I doing with my career? Where am I going next? Am I even going to be able to find a job in this market? Is two weeks off running going to derail my training and the progress I've made? Am I going to lose momentum with all the other things I'm working on right now? What the hell am I even doing with my life?
I remember the first hike we went on in Switzerland. It was the second day of our trip and I couldn't believe how magical this place was. Every twist and turn looked like a scene straight out of a fairytale. The snow capped peaks, the blue skies, the puffy white clouds, the wildflowers that were in full bloom, the grass that was the most perfect shade of green, the alpine cows that roamed free and happy, the refrigerator literally full of cheese that we stumbled upon while hiking. This place was a dream.
Yet all I could think about was my career, things I wish I would have done differently, and how I was going to find a job when thousands of other really talented people were also competing for those same openings.
As the noise in my brain got louder, I remember getting more and more frustrated and finally said to myself out loud "I just don't want to care anymore". Oddly enough, the more I made that declaration, the more my brain followed along.
Disconnecting is not just the physical act of turning off your email and Teams notifications. It's not just switching your phone onto airplane mode and hoping you'll instantly feel better. If your notifications are off but you're still constantly panicking about hitting quota or beating yourself up because you lost a big deal or criticizing yourself because you still haven't found a job, you're not actually disconnected.
Disconnecting is an intentional decision to give your mind a break from caring. A designated pause from worrying so you can actually enjoy the moment you're in.
When I returned home from the trip, all my "problems" still very much existed.
I still had no job. Two weeks off running absolutely derailed my training and slowed me down. The momentum I had built up in some of my side projects took a hit.
BUT ... I felt good. Amazing actually. The cortisol levels in my body dropped and all the things that once seemed life threatening, didn't seem like that big of a deal anymore. I felt grounded. I felt calm. I felt in control. I felt ready and excited to take on what was ahead of me with a refreshed perspective.
Do you find it hard to disconnect? Do you find it impossible to shut your brain off? Does it scare you to take a break from your job, from working out, from your diet, from being productive, from whatever you spend a lot of time obsessing about?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, grab some time with me and let’s chat. There’s a whole big world happening out there that you’re missing out on by being trapped in your mind.
