Why I needed to shut down everything

I have a story for you today about my overworked WIFI router. (Spoiler: this story really isn’t about my router. :) )

A couple of weeks ago my router was giving me major problems – among other things, some of my devices kept dropping their WIFI connections.

It was as if they WANTED to connect, but they just couldn’t.

I’d see the WIFI icon pop on and I’d start working, but then my laptop would suddenly starting buffering and it would fall back off – honestly it was driving me a little crazy.

(Don’t you just hate watching that buffering icon rotate around and around?!)

Anyway, on the one device that magically did connect, I searched online for a way to fix the problem. Nothing I did seemed to make a difference.

I got so fed up that I shut everything down. EVERYTHING. Even my router.

Then I worked out (best stress reliever ever!) and a little later, I turned everything back on.

Voila. Connections resolved.

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott

You guessed it: this article is about giving yourself a break every once in a while…

Especially when you feel like you’re running so fast but can barely keep up.

Sometimes stepping out of the race (temporarily) is exactly what you need to do to find your power to finish strong!

Our society rewards pushing hard and never giving up. And both of those things are super important – nothing gets done unless someone actually DOES the work.

But there is also another saying:

“To every thing there is a season …”

Basically, if you push hard, you also need to make time to rest just as “hard” so you can power back up again.

Taking time to rest has absolutely NOTHING to do with being lazy or unproductive. In fact, it’s a KEY part of being a productive and healthy person.

Often when you unplug, you come back more inspired, with fresh ideas to make improvements, and with more energy to take on your day.

What are some ways to power down? It doesn’t mean vegging on the couch and bingeing an entire season of a show on Hulu (although it might).

For some people, it might mean doing something fun, like playing softball or tennis, going skiing or swimming, or hitting a flea market to poke around for unique finds.

Here are some everyday ways to unplug:

• Take a relaxing bath
• Get a massage or other bodywork
• Read a book (preferably not one about 10x-ing your productivity)
• Going for a walk or getting outside for some fresh air
• Playing with your children or pets
• Doing something creative: play music, woodwork, cook, anything crafty, etc.
• Going to a movie
• Gardening or working on your yard
• Rent an Airbnb for the weekend and get away for a bit (even somewhere local!)
• Take a nap

This isn’t rocket science – it’s more about giving yourself the permission to just BE. Doesn’t that sound amazing?

What are you inspired to do to disconnect and recharge?