Take a Dark Vacation

In the corporate world, the term ‘dark vacation’ is becoming more and more commonplace. Just what exactly is it, you ask? The phrase simply means to completely disconnect from your daily digital world while you are on vacation. Does this idea shock you? Cause anxiety? Leave you confused? As people are finding out, it is not as simple as saying you are going to unplug!

Going dark isn’t going to be easy – in fact, some will find it almost impossible. However, for personal and business reasons alike, unplugging is absolutely what you must do.

Why is it so difficult to disconnect? For starters, there are those that worry about work while on vacation. They worry about work not getting done properly, or not getting done at all. So, they check into work email and with colleagues. We have to learn to delegate our work load, and trust others to get things done. That’s it.

There is also the social side of things, of course. We live in a culture that is connected all of the time. We like, pin, tweet and comment across the board. We are obsessed with checking in. So much so, that we cannot check out altogether.

How do we break the cycle of checking in? To begin with, this is pattern changing, so it is a good idea to have a plan in place. Put the gadgets away! Temporarily suspend your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest…whatever you log into daily. Do whatever it takes to safeguard you from checking in.

This may sound a little over the top, but unplugging has real benefits to you and to your business! You can actually make your company stronger by not being there.

One of the biggest benefits of stepping out of your daily routine is being better able to see the big picture. The drudgery of day-to-day tasks takes its toll on anybody. You can get so caught up in the routine, you get tunnel vision. Stepping back can really help you see the whole job, get creative and gives you the energy to push things forward.

Another benefit to going dark is building your team. When you leave your work at work completely, and trust others to do the job right, you become a better delegator, and that helps build your colleagues into the team you really need to have.

Finally, going dark is good for your family and social life. Everyone benefits from having a solid home life. The saying goes, when you unplug, you reconnect. What better way to reconnect with those you care about than giving them your undivided and uninterrupted attention. Having strong personal relationships really helps give you balance.

Whatever business you are in, getting away from it all, really going on a dark vacation isn’t just good for you – it’s good for business!