In this fast-paced world, we’re all connected 24/7/365.  We have Google,  iPhones, Skype and many other devices that make our lives easier.  But, do they really make things easier or is all this connectivity causing more complexity in our lives?  This Sunday, my wife and I attended church service while we were home visiting family.  The pastor asked the very question above.  Is technology causing us more complexity than we care to admit?

Maybe we should call it “simplexity…”

So, what happens when these things don’t work?  What happens when the power goes out, the batteries go dead, and we’re faced to live in the so-called Stone Age?  (Read how you can manage when platforms like Twitter are down here.)  Can you handle being off the grid?  I remember (it wasn’t THAT long ago) when I was a kid…when a guy was smitten by a girl, he had to have the guts to do one of two things: Approach the girl and ask her out (GUTS, I tell you…) or carefully craft the most beautiful love letter since Shakespearean times.  If you had a good friend, they could sometimes help with an introduction, but you were mostly thrown into the moment, whether you liked it or not.  There was no texting.  There was no email.  It was all you.

There’s a lesson here…

Courage.  Confidence.  Communication.  GUTS.  It comes down to what we’ve been taught throughout our lives.  Take a step back, unplug for a little while, and refocus.  Ever heard the phrase, “there can never be too much of a good thing?”  You’ll know when it’s too much.  If you don’t, ask your friends, family or co-workers.

Before you write this off as a silly article, I want you to know that I’m just as guilty as anyone.  I’ve felt the “phantom buzz” of my smartphone, have the irresistible urge to check email every 5 minutes, and am plugged in like nobody’s business.  Take the time to appreciate the simple things in life and communicate with your family, with your friends.  Appreciate nature and take a deep breath for a moment.  Even if it’s just an hour that you can take away from it all, you’ll be glad you took it.

This relates to your career, your life, just about anything.  What do you do when you unplug?  Please feel free to share your ideas with everyone!  As always, thanks for reading.