6 Reasons Why You Should Disconnect While on Vacation

While smartphones are great for taking photos, researching what restaurants to visit or adventures to explore while on vacation, they can also keep you connected to the daily stressors and responsibilities at work, home and in the news. Since many of us don’t “turn off” as often as we should in our day-to-day lives, “turning off” on vacation is more important than ever. You spent all that money on a trip and finally have that break from your busy life, so why not take full advantage to escape? Start by putting that phone away!

I have always been pretty good at disconnecting while on vacation and take steps to set myself up for success by limiting the paths of least resistance, such as turning off notifications, logging out of Facebook, LinkedIn and email applications, and simply leaving the phone in the hotel room. Do you know what’s amazing?  After two or three days of being offline, that ever-present urge to check my phone goes away and a new sense of enjoyment emerges.

Here are six reasons why you should disconnect while on vacation:

1. It’s your time to recharge. We all need a break from work and other daily responsibilities. And you can’t fully give yourself that physical and mental break if you don’t disconnect from those responsibilities. Even if you are lying on a beach while checking emails on your phone, you are connected. What happens if you get an email that upsets you? You then spend your energy worrying about what’s going on back home rather than enjoying what’s going on in front of you. Put yourself first and let others wait. It will make you mentally sharper, perform better, more creative, and bring fresh perspective when you return.

2. It shows trust in your employees and co-workers. Give people the opportunity to step up and handle a situation while you are away. Delegation is an essential skill to master in any role. Planning in advance to delegate work and decision-making while you are away can set you and your team up well. And if you or your team is really concerned how to handle a major issue that comes up while you are away (and you just can’t let go completely), set the expectation for them to handle it first and that contacting you directly should be the last resort.

3. You experience the novelty of what’s going on around you. Use your time and energy to enjoy what’s around you in the moment, rather than worrying or checking in on what’s going on somewhere else. Be present. You have places to see and things to experience while on vacation. When you are not focusing your attention on what’s going on in the present moment, you miss out on the small things and simple joys around you.

4. You set a great example for others. For your partner, kids, people around you at the resort or community you are visiting . . . remind them that we can all enjoy the experience around us without our phones. For your clients, family and co-workers, disconnecting from work shows you value personal time as much as work time and sets a strong example for others to do the same. Walk the talk.

5. Things will go on without you (or can wait). Work proceeds, issues arise and get fixed, people come and go, and things keep going on. Check your ego and know you are not the only person who can solve things. Keep perspective that things tend to work out and will keep moving on without you or can wait until you get back. We like to all think we are always needed, but that simply isn’t the case.

6. It’s YOUR vacation. As mentioned, you spent all this money and have been eagerly awaiting this trip. Take this opportunity to give yourself the full physical and mental break you deserve. You don’t get this time back!

What reasons speak to you? Get clear on why this is important to you, and next time you travel, make the decision to truly disconnect. See how much more you can enjoy your trip and more easily mentally turn off and recharge. Take steps to set yourself up for success ahead of time by planning for coverage while away, scheduling time for catch-up when you return, and limiting the paths of least resistance. I would love to hear your thoughts and how it goes in the comments.