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Holidays are the perfect time to disconnect from the digital world and find some time to connect with family, friends, nature and yourself. If you’re finding it difficult to unwind, and even harder to switch off from work mode, perhaps breaking up with your phone over your getaway is just what the doctor ordered. So here are some tips to make it seamless. 1. LET PEOPLE KNOW Let family and friends know ahead of time that you will be spending time off the grid. Regardless of physical reception, let people know that you have made the conscious decision to unplug your phone on your holiday. For any work or family emergencies, establish some protocols, but ensure you stick to your own rules. If you are seen to be available and online, people will soon feel like they can contact you. 2. BE ORGANISED Getting ready to disconnect begins well and truly before you leave your driveway. Be as organised as you can be beforehand. Finish as much work ahead of time and set up automated out-of-office message responses. With your automated out-of-office responder, leave enough information in there that will give the person who is trying to contact you another point of contact. Try to limit your return-to-work Inbox backlog as much as possible with automatic filing settings so that your Inbox isn’t too overwhelming for you when you return. 3. ONLY TAKE PERSONAL DEVICES WITH YOU If you decide to totally switch off from work mode while you’re away, the easiest way to do this is to take only your personal devices with you. If you do have work emails on your phone, you can easily remove them and add them again when you get back to work. If your work phone is your personal phone, take out the SIM card and replace it
with a cheap prepaid SIM card so that your family and friends can still contact you if they need to. 4. MAKE SURE YOU’RE ON BOARD – LIKE, REALLY ON BOARD It’s easy to say you’re going to unplug, but you have to be ready to commit to this. The biggest hurdle to disconnecting from technology is often your own self-control. So that you don’t self-sabotage your digital retreat, make sure all your pings, dings and vibrations are turned off. Simply, the sounds on your phone can leave your brain in a twinge. If you don’t want to rely on sheer willpower, organise your holiday strategies ahead of time so that you don’t find yourself replying to your emails in the middle of the night while your significant other is sound asleep. These are just some strategies you can employ before your next escape. It’s so important that you take the time to relax on your holiday so you can come back refreshed and ready to go.
If you can take the time to unwind, your work will be better off when you return as it will allow you to approach any problems and ideas with a revitalised perspective. Unplugging really is a win-win for everyone involved. m
Renee Napthali, Caravan RV Camping Renee is driven and enjoys sharing her love for travel and caravanning with people of all ages. With big plans and even bigger dreams, Renee runs Caravan RV Camping — an online store, selling caravan accessories to keen campers all over Australia.
www.bmmag.com.au 43
CARAVAN MATTERS
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