So over the course of the past week I had been working like crazy helping Kelby and finishing preparations for Type-A-Mom Conference. It’s the first vacation I’ve been on with three kids where I am packing as both “Mommy” and as “Speaker/Professional”. It’s two very different mindsets, to be honest, and the juggling act was giving me headaches.
Nightly.
Friday I checked my email. Barely. And then I didn’t do a thing about it. I mean I looked at a couple of the important looking ones and deleted the spam. Then I went and gave two massages. And hung out with my family. And completely rearranged my entire living room. And bought some new makeup. And got presents for the family party we were having the following day. And wrapped them even. *gasp* The day before I was giving them – amazing!
I stayed up late talking with my husband. We played Monopoly on my cell phone (don’t laugh – it’s so much fun). Reconnected after two weeks of me practically living on the computer.
Saturday was the family party. My portable laptop battery lasted just long enough for me to again check my email and reply to the very most urgent, sign up for the Muse Writing Conference Workshops I wanted to take, and clear out all the spam, etc from my inbox. Then I walked around the mall with my kids. We ate Annie Pretzel’s and toured Build-A-Bear Workshop. I found some great bargains at Waldenbooks. I worked on a quilt I had started when my firstborn was an infant (4 years ago!) and made GREAT progress on it!
In short – I was online for maybe 15 minutes total Friday and Saturday and it felt GREAT. I really, truly, needed the break. It was almost a relief to just unplug for a little bit, as much as I love you all.
I feel refreshed and ready for the conference later this week. I even finished sorting the odd socks so my kids will have socks to wear! Ha! See how much you can accomplish in a weekend offline? Sometimes for your sanity sake you just have to hit that power button off and walk away. Trust me – the world won’t end and you just might get a project done you’ve been trying to work on for awhile.
I'm feeling guilty. Earlier this year I had instituted a "Computer Free" Saturday for 3 weeks of the month but I've fallen off the wagon the last 4 weeks. You've given me new inspiration to stay caught up this week so I can take the coming Saturday off.