Sometimes, UNPLUGGED does NOT require a good battery
-from our friends at Next Level Café (our technology management provider), www.nextlevelcafe.com

My 17 year old daughter left 5 days ago for a 15 day trip to Ecuador to tour the Galapagos, the Rain Forest Jungle, and to hike to the top of an active volcano. As we were seeing her through the security of the airport with the other members of her student delegation, she stopped, turned around, and came back. “Here” she said, and handed us her cell phone. “I won’t need it.”. That was the best lesson she could have taught me. She realized that she was heading into an experience that did not require text messaging, 24x7 phone contact, access to the internet, or the ability to download the latest hottest song. She UNPLUGGED. For a teen these days, that is rare…for a business professional, it seems to be impossible.

While we monitored the chatter of the parents over email the next few nights, all that was discussed was how Johnny spent an hour tweaking his phone to make a call home, or how Mary was not able to send an email every night as she promised, or did anyone know how to make an international calling card work? My wife and I just smiled and commented to each other how proud we were of her…standing on a cliff in the Galapagos admiring the behavior of penguins and sea lions, while the others wrestled with trying to get a signal or keep their cell phones dry. Do I miss not being able to talk to her at the press of a button…you bet! Do I regret that cannot….not at all.

Sometimes we can all get too caught up in the “requirement” of staying instantly available…and always plugged in. I bet that over the last week, I communicated with no less than 5 of you that were “on vacation” (Chrissy, you were the exception…and I loved the pictures of the giant Sunfish you caught!). While it’s nice for the rest of us, it defeats the purpose of getting away, relaxing, and letting yourself absorb new experiences, or just shedding common ones. This may sound strange coming from an owner of a technology company who makes a living enabling technology and communication to become as mobile, pervasive, and available as possible, but the truth is, technology enables a lifestyle, but it shouldn’t define one. Sometimes, you just need to watch the seals chase fish for an afternoon without the buzz of a new email or text message arriving on your hip, or to watch the sun set on a lake in a boat with your son marveling over how well they are biting today to restore your creative energy, shed the stress, and charge your OWN battery.

Remember, taking time away is not only important for you, it’s important for your teams. It gives them the chance to face new problems, create new opportunities, and make decisions that you always wish they would make, while enabling you to come back restored, energized, and ready to really dig in again.

So, if you hear from Rich, please remind him he is on vacation…! Oh, and if any of you happen to run across my daughter, tell her to buddy up with techno-Johnny and call home for just a minute…we’d love to hear from her!

Best Regards,
Steve