Now, I have a few observations about all of this. First, I think people need to feel important. Walking around checking emails on their down time can show the rest of the world that they are so important that they need to stay in touch. Also, the idea that there is something waiting for them that only they can deal with strokes their ego. But to them, all I have to say is, up until President Obama, the leader of the free world did not carry a cell phone, and who is more important than him? Second, I think people fear something disastrous will happen if they don't stay in touch. The company will come to a snag in the road that requires their immediate attention. They must remain vigilant for such an occurrence. To them, all I have to say is that if the disaster is that big, it probably won't matter whether you are checking or not. If it is not that big, someone else should be able to put a band aid on the problem until you get back. There is a good probability that someone will call in a dire emergency. I have learned that people stuck in the office during your vacation are able to figure when to call and when to leave you alone. Third, I think people are so wired to work that they do not know how to unplug. They have mired themselves into work for so long that the road back to relaxation is overgrown and falling into disrepair. To them I say, go to a national park for a week where there is no cell service. The first few days will be tough as you go through withdrawal but, I promise you, you will be better for it in the end. Finally, some who have difficulty unplugging use their gadgetry as a buffer from their family. They no longer know how to communicate with the person they once loved so much they promised the rest of their lives to them. The children they helped create are strangers speaking a foreign tongue. Work makes so much more sense. I would recommend the same treatment to you as I did to those who can not unplug. It will be difficult and leaving will cross your mind, frequently, but hang in there. It is worth it.
I mention all of this because we have recently been on vacation. We camped for three nights in a national park without cell service. Even my perennially texting children got used to not being in touch with their friends all the time. We then toured some historic sights in Virginia. Although we were able to spend more time on the gadgetry of the 21st century then, we were enjoying each other's company and listening to the opinions we all had about the sights we had just seen. We came home rested and renewed. Our inboxes were filled but no dire catastrophe had occurred. We had even scheduled a day to relax and sleep before beginning the work week, so today was an almost painless transition back to "regular life." And yet, all the time, I saw people trying to enjoy vacation while still attached to their work. The whole idea of vacation is to rebalance your life again, letting work go and immersing yourself into your family and relaxation with the same vigor used at work. Try it next time, you might just like it.
