{"id":31899,"date":"2015-09-03T11:42:00","date_gmt":"2015-09-03T15:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wanderlust.com\/?p=31899"},"modified":"2015-09-03T11:42:00","modified_gmt":"2015-09-03T15:42:00","slug":"the-true-and-verifiable-power-of-disconnecting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/es\/journal\/the-true-and-verifiable-power-of-disconnecting\/","title":{"rendered":"The True (and Verifiable) Power of Disconnecting"},"content":{"rendered":"

How many times have you been told to shut down your brain? To disconnect for a while? To step away from the computer or look up from your phone? To be present?<\/p>\n

Maybe there\u2019s a reason we\u2019re so reluctant to heed that advice. When we think of \u201cshutting down\u201d it brings about a slew of negative connotations. Have you ever been in a relationship where the other person just shuts down<\/em>? They stop feeling<\/em>, they stop communicating<\/em>. When someone shuts down, whether in a personal relationship<\/a> or at work, simply put, things just stop. We live in such a fast-paced world that the thought of stopping, even just for a few minutes, is scary to many.<\/p>\n

But maybe it\u2019s time to repurpose the phrase \u201cshut down\u201d and look at the benefits it can provide for us. Disconnecting on a certain level is vital not only to your health and well-being, but your job and relationships as well.<\/p>\n

But maybe it\u2019s time to repurpose the phrase \u201cshut down\u201d and look at the benefits it can provide for us.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Last year, I was at a Wanderlust Festival<\/a> in Austin, Texas, and went on a guided hike as one of my sessions. Our only instruction was to turn off our phones. As a writer there on assignment, I felt immediate anxiety. I had to<\/em> take notes and write down the leader\u2019s quotes for the purposes of a great article\u2014that was my job<\/em>.<\/p>\n

After an agonizing half mile of repeating the same sentences over and over in my head in hopes of remembering them an hour later, I gave up. Then I gave in.<\/p>\n

I was relieved I did not have to type furiously into my phone (and come across as rude to others) and was able to enjoy all the senses throughout our hike<\/a>\u2014the sights, smells, sounds, and people around me. I was present.<\/p>\n

Later that night when I sat down to write my piece, I realized that the more I felt<\/em>, the better I wrote<\/em>. I was able to pull words and thoughts from within, rather than an electronic notepad. And while I may not have remembered exact quotes, I remembered so much more: I was able to paint an accurate picture of what happened during that hour-long hike.<\/p>\n

Sometimes life, and our work, is more about perspective and feelings than facts and quotes. I got into writing because I was good at storytelling and putting my thoughts onto paper. As my career has progressed, it\u2019s been more about citing quotes instead of feeling anything. That hike showed me that what I loved most about my work is what I had lost.<\/p>\n

A simple \u201cbreak\u201d in the middle of Mother Nature reminded me to crave the creativity<\/a> and feeling that led me to my career in the first place. I was no longer afraid that just because I couldn\u2019t jot down a note that I\u2019d miss the point. In fact the opposite was happening\u2014I was starting to see the point as a human being with purpose as opposed to just a writer. <\/em>And it was all due to my detachment from technology,\u00a0even if temporary.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no question that technology has allowed us to connect in ways we could have never imagined just a few decades ago,\u201d says Haresh Yalamanchili, M.D., a board certified physician based in Houston. \u201cAlthough it has had many positive effects on our ability to work and be more productive, there has also been an eroding divide between work and play. Not being able to \u2018turn off\u2019 when you leave the office can quickly build up stress that can have significant health issues over the long run,\u201d he says. Some issues include insomnia, depression, and anxiety, according to Dr. Yalamanchili.<\/p>\n

He notes it\u2019s important to consciously make time to completely unplug from technology\u2014put the phone down even for a short while. This will give your body and brain the chance to really recharge.<\/p>\n

Disconnecting is easier in some jobs and situations than others, but here are a few simple ways to disconnect, even if just briefly:<\/p>\n