Now that summer is officially underway, with Memorial Day and graduations in the rear view mirror, it’s a good time to give some thought to how much of it you will enjoy. These are not the 60’s when you went home at the end of the day and the office did not intrude. Nope, today even our young are tied to electronic tethers that give no concern to time or space. As long as you have a mobile device on you, and it is on, the world may intrude at whim. The operative word is “on.”
Two years ago I went with my son’s Boy Scout Troop on a High Adventure to the Boundary Waters between the U.S. and Canada in remote and primitive Minnesota. There was nary a cell tower for miles and miles of remote islands and waterways. I’m not sure I could have picked up a satellite signal.
I admit to going through a little withdrawal issues on the first day, but I was surprised how quickly adapted. Daily canoe trips, exploration and fishing occupied my time.
Soon enough the week was over. When I got back to the outfitter and turned my phone on it vibrated for ten minutes with emails and texts. But I did learn the virtue of unplugging.
Here is a great article by Tiffany Shlain for the Harvard Business Review on the virtues of going technology free for a period of time each week.