22 Sep The Value of Unplugging
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I just spent two fantastic weeks in Italy with my wife and I think it’s the first time in 10 years that I truly unplugged from work: no email (the caveat is that I did have someone on my team checking my email and deleting, reply, etc. to anything time sensitive), no vmail, no Yammer, no Twitter, no Linkedin, and no work related reading.
On the plane home I was thinking about the times that I’ve had the biggest epiphanies in my business: not during the work day, in between meetings, or driving to a lunch. The most creative times I can remember have been while I was on vacation, on a plane, or completely relaxed and disconnected from the day to day.
As CEO’s part of our role is to be the chief dreamer. Scheming and dreaming the future of our organizations is the part of our job description that comes before the strategic planning and operational plans. The challenge is that our busy day-to-day environment is not conducive to creativity.
So here’s my challenge to you: the next time you’re out for dinner or relaxing on the weekend and reaching for your favourite RIM or Apple device ask yourself this question: do I really need to check my email right now?
maria
Posted at 20:47h, 22 SeptemberSo what was your epiphany during your rejuvenating free time in Italia?
Mike Desjardins
Posted at 17:44h, 28 SeptemberThe biggest learning/epiphany is the value of unplugging to truly be present on vacation and actually enjoy the experience!
Joan Noel
Posted at 15:04h, 19 OctoberOh so true. I unplug several weeks each year! Great to see you getting that idea out there is a big way.
Warmly,
Joan