I’ve just returned from three days totally unplugged in the Lakes, with lots of walking and chilling. I didn’t take any technology or check my phone once. Bliss!
That sounds like it should be easy (especially considering that just over two years ago I didn’t even have a phone with aps on it) but now I’ve joined the masses and become chained to my mobile devices.
I knew I was long overdue a holiday, and that working from home was creeping into every second of the day, a natural side-effect of working for myself, trying to start up two creative businesses. I had no idea just how much I needed the break though.
Out in Kewick at a local cafe I would hear a ‘ping’ or a ‘ting’ and my knee jerk reaction is to immediately jump or twitch to see what it is. Seeing everyone (even people out on walks) looking down, glued to their devices – how have I recently become that person? It’s actually scary how much I am addicted to using my devices but more importantly what am I doing on them? Am I being productive all of the time? The simple answer is no and time is flying, whizzing at an uncontrollable speed and I need to slow it down, put it down, unplug and pay attention to what is here and now.
After a long chat with hubbie over a delicious meal and bottle of vino, I’ve got things into perspective. It’s actually quite scary hearing it from someone else that they have concerns about the direction things are going, it’s a good wake up call. I need to wake up and cherish the time I have with my husband, dogs, family and friends – in the pursuit of following my creative passions there is a risk that life is literally passing me by and I am not letting that happen anymore. I feel like this trip was a moment of clarity to re-prioritise and work a bit smarter. Quality family time is now at the top of my list of priorities and we’re officially ‘unplugging’ for set times every week to try and restore some balance and inner zen. I know that it isn’t going to be easy, that there will always be ‘just one more thing’ on my to do list before I shut down but for the sake of my health and the future of my family it’s time to make this happen, to unplug and allow myself the time to chillax more regularly.
What’s really funny is that I get my creative inspiration in huge flurries usually in the dead of night or early hours of the morning. Typically this happens sporadically over a couple of days where I just see lots of different images, really clearly in my head, I usually get up and scribble everything down into a note book. One of my most recent ‘flurries’ of ideas is the tropical collection that I have just started promoting. If you have a look you will see they say ‘chillax’, ‘stay chilled’, ‘chilled vibes only’ etc and I think my subconscious was telling me what I needed to do, before I even knew myself! The mind works in mysterious ways.
Anyway, watch this space, I’ll let you know how the new zen me goes…
My tropical prints collection are available now on Etsy and Walter and May
