How many of you unplug while on vacation? I ask because on my last vacation, I spent half of it unplugged.
While visiting family and friends in Michigan, I stayed with a friend who doesn’t have cable/satellite television or Internet service at her home. Though it was refreshing, it was quite strange to not be connected.
This got me thinking, when did the shift happen to where we must always be plugged-in? Growing up, my family had a black and white television with five channels until I was 10 and a rotary phone until I left for college. The only electronics we took on vacation were Walkmans with those clunky cassette tapes. We spent more time on our vacation interacting with each other, exploring the local culture, talking, and laughing. We really did know how to live and relax.
Today we are always running, even on vacation. We are always connected or plugged-in. According to dictionary.com, the definition of vacation is “a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation or travel; recess or holiday.” Do you unplug while on vacation?
For your next vacation, let Ingenious Travel help you unplug and reconnect with those who are important to you.
I could so relate to your post! It happened to me recently and it was very unnerving. I had the same experiences growing up — although we didn’t have Walkmans – it was transistor radios :)! I look forward to your unplugging tips when traveling.
We’ve gotten so “connected” we have forgotten to reconnect with ourselves. The tips are coming!
So true! We go on vacation to unwind and take all of our electronics with us. I’ve done that as well. One of the best vacations I had this summer was at a friend’s cabin with no TV or internet. Great reminder – thank you.
Not always an easy way to unwind, is it? It’s amazing how we remember to enjoy ourselves without them!
Wish I had done it, too! Might be strange, at least in the beginning, but it clears your mind and lets you relax!
Absolutely! The quiet helps with creativity, too.
Very important to UNPLUG for a day
Think of how much more we could accomplish if we did unplug for a day.
I remember have basic TV and rotary phones, too. it’s amazing how technology drives getting in contact immediately with someone. It’s so important to “unplug” for your own stress relief-especially on vacation. Thanks,Maria!
It’s not really a vacation then is it, if you’re still plugged in and checking your work email or messages.
Unplugging is vital when we are this busy as we are with everything that we think needs to be done!
I think you nailed it! Key word is think…not necessarily reality. It will still be there tomorrow.
I did not unplug the last time I went on vacation and it is a shame because I could use some quite time away to reflect and regroup. Next time.. I will..,;) thanks for the reminder!
Glad to help. Workations can be more stressful than relaxing!
We do spend too much time plugged in, don’t we? I really like this idea of a vacation from all of our electronic connections!
Now if we could the rest of the world to follow suit! Gotta wonder what it would be like, National/International Unplugged Day. Ah, we can dream, right?
How the world has changed! I like being unplugged sometimes because it forces me to slow down and stop and smell the roses!
Absolutely! It’s amazing how we realize we’ve missed a few things along the way. Always being connected isn’t necessarily better.
My sentiments exactly. Society has re-defined what a day of rest is and it’s gotten worst with the Sunday shopping, etc. It’s even affecting family day time… not good. I sometimes wish that we could go back! (-_-)
I believe there are a lot of people who would agree with you.
It helps to travel abroad without your iphone. I was totally unplugged on my cruise to Greece and Turkey (or at least people thought I was). I could check my email in the ship’s internet room, but I did not have my iphone and nobody really tried to contact me. It was pure bliss! Now I need to learn to do that without the excuse of being out of the country.
That’s great! And it’s less expensive to travel that way. International cell phone rates can be a drain on the wallet. This way you got the best of both.
Can relate to what you’re saying here and I totally agree with switching off when you’re away. I did this recently on a long weekend and felt so much more recharged when I came back. I think it’s good to get back to basic sometimes and just talk!
It’s amazing how this allows for clarity and creativity to resurface.
I am not sure I want to unplug completely. Being connected is so much a part of my day, I think I would find it uncomfortable.
And it can be. I was quite frustrated, almost afraid I was missing something. However, I found it easier as the week went on.
I had a similar experience on a business trip with my phone. My cell does’t have an international plan (note to self:: get an international plan) and data roaming is so expensive that I had to turn it off for nearly a week. What I discovered isn’t that I’m too plugged in, but that I actually enjoy plugging my extended network into my present moment life. It felt like a missing. On the other hand, when I take my next trip to some exotic location (not for business) my extended network can wait till I get back to see photos from my trip. (smile!)
It’s definitely different when having to travel for business and needing to stay connected.
I try to unplug at least once a week, always on vacation and schedule no tech times. We have to take back control of our time. The multi tasking we are doing is literally killing brain cells.
This goes back to the idea that simpler is better. Now only if we acted on it more often.
That is always my rules. A true vacation is leaving it all at home and forgetting about it.
The only thing I can’t unplug when on vacation is with my camera. That is out, front and center, always!
That’s great. Not only do we carry too many gadgets, we have to bring all the chargers that go with them. This is also a great way to travel lighter.
Wow. Lisa Frederiken’s comment brings back some memories. Transistor radios on the beach. 🙂 I haven’t been on a real vacation in awhile, but I fully intend to unplug when I do go. Right now I try to stay unplugged for at least a day on the weekends.
More power to you. It’s hard for me to do it for more than a few hours.
Maria,
I basically unplug for the most part when traveling or visiting friends and family. Last Oct I took my mother on a road trip of over 2500 miles. We were gone 7 nights and 8 days. The only time I was able to plug in was the first night when we stayed in a hotel. The rest of the time we had no internet service. Most of the time I did have cell phone but that was even spotty. It is actually very freeing and you have time to enjoy visiting and doing things together.
Yes, it is good to unplug. Actually I believe this being connected all the time has been more intense in my life the last 5 to 10 years. Prior to that I never even thought about taking a computer with me when I left the house and cell phone service was not even available in many areas.
Kudos to you! There is something to be said about keeping things simple.
Wonderful post! It is so important for us to unplug as often as possible, not only when we are on vacation, but everyday as well.
Thankfully there are little things we can do to learn to unplug…baby steps.
Aaack! Don’t want to unplug! LOL
And you don’t have to! I know it’s much easier said than done.