So, I did it. I actually took my own advice.
(Well, ok, the advice from a few team members if truth be told.)
I hit the road and I headed for the ocean.

As I stepped into the beach house and realized it was just me, and Bosco,—for a whole week, it was a bit of a what do I do now? moment.

After unloading the car, I maneuvered into the tiny kitchen and asked Alexa to play some Frank Sinatra while I made fajitas…(Yes, I took Alexa. Not quite sans technology, but hey…)

The tiny house was built in 1958, right on the beach, and had a tiki-hut type patio with a private deck and walkway to the water. There were no neighbors that week. On either side. It was pretty cool.

The weather didn’t quite cooperate, but I was enjoying the view and the breezes while listening to the waves…so it really doesn’t get much better than that.

With my last blog about unplugging, I was determined to practice what I preached. So how did it go? Here’s my report:

• I did text a friend a couple of times
• I did call two friends to catch up and chat
• I did not look at email (until Wed.)
• I never touched social media
• I did watch about 1 hour of TV each night

When I did decide to do some work on my laptop, I accidentally knocked it off the table. Apparently, the neo-luddite gods were angry with me and were trying to make their point. I wasn’t listening.

There was a bit of business to tend too, which was a bummer, but hey. I own one…so it’s to be expected. Par for the course.

By the end of the week, I was ready to reconnect with the world.
After a certain point, I felt like time was wasting. Weren’t there 100 things I could be, should be, doing? I have to tell you, going off the grid was hard work. I did ok, but not great. And that exercise is not for the faint of heart.

Those of you who kept your silence forced me to hold to my pact! And I thank you for your support of my time away.

I came home to snow and my irises in bloom. (Talk about crazy weather we’d been having.)

All in all, I do feel a bit more relaxed upon my return. I did get some things sorted out in my mind, and I do feel like I had a re-boot of sorts.

So what did I learn from this experiment?

• I am human
• I need rest and rejuvenation
• I need time to clear my mind and get away
• I need to plan time off the grid and hold to it, even if it’s only one hour a day
• I need to take days “off” more often
• I need to plan my escapes now, not later
• I need to have at least one weekend off a quarter