Into the Digital Darkness

Last week Pete and I plunged into the ‘digital darkness’ as we embarked on a 6-day Caribbean cruise. This was the first time in over 20 years where we didn’t leave a forwarding phone number, we didn’t check our emails, I even locked up (yes, in a safe) my phone, tablet and chromebook.

The first day and a half or so was a bit nerve-wracking and I worried that I forgot to tell someone something that they might need to know before I got back.  Did I leave any loose ends at work etc?  Surprisingly, I didn’t worry so much about the kids; they are older teenagers and my mom was with them.  However, I did miss them, a lot.  But by day two I was relaxed and had no anxieties about not being tethered to the world via the umbilical cord of technology aka the internet.

Pete and I while in the ‘digital darkness’ managed to find the sunlight and get the appropriate first time cruise goers sunburn complete with sunglass lines and all. It was fun!  We enjoyed parasailing, swimming with dolphins and petting a manatee.  Though I have to admit the whole time I was with the manatee I kept singing the Veggi Tales song, Endanger Love (Barbara Manatee).

 

Matt Ritchel of the New York Times offers 8 tips to a great vacation in his June 2012 article, ‘Vacation Sabatage: Don’t Let it Happen to You!‘ Those tips include:

  • Start Now (Learning to let go and relax)
  • Leave Your Context at Home (Turn your gadgets off)
  • Endure the Boredom (Fight through the need to be constantly doing something)
  • Get Over Yourself (Your workplace will not implode if you’re not there.)
  • Don’t Prepare for Your Own Death (Building up expectations and not having them met)
  • Channel the Three-Day Weekend (Your mantra: it’s not a week’s vacation, it’s a series of two three-day weekends, plus a bonus day.)
  • Stop Flirting With Work (Trying to fit work into a break can be both frustrating and creativity limiting)
  • Don’t Worry About Re-entry; Most of it’s Spam (Your in-box will survive)

A quick Google search and you’ll find many articles full of suggestions for getting the most out of your vacation, as for myself (and Pete) plunging into the digital darkness was awesome for us and I am looking forward to doing it again.

It was an amazing vacation and one that I needed more than I realized.  Now I’m back refreshed, happy and ready to take on the world.

akgraner

One Response to “Into the Digital Darkness

  • Christopher
    12 years ago

    Oo where in the Caribbean?

    — Christopher

Leave a Reply Text

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *