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Disconnection is a bad word to most people. To even suggest it is offensive to some. We are so connected with all of our tools and gadgets that the idea of being out of reach seems foreign to most people. With our connection to our cell phones, constant internet access, and social media – everyone has turned into a 24/7 machine. We beckon to the blink of the notification. In my experience instead of being connected with the world, we find ourselves scattered. Each blink buzz or ring takes us away from what we are doing and keeps us in a state of constant distraction. By learning how to single task and how to set boundaries, our disconnection becomes a real strength that allows us to recharge and gain some control back into our lives.
Life is overwhelming. The lines have blurred with respect to work and life, and now you can find yourself answering emails during a baseball game or doing grocery shopping at the office. Sorry to break it to you but you can’t multi-task. Instead of getting things done ,you lose out on the magic game or the depth of the project for the sake of “efficiency”. This is what we are taught, but the science is clear that this only hampers and doesn’t help. To multi-task is to give in, and to give in is to miss the chance to focus on your work completely. The real power in any task is a real connection and focus on what you do.
Boundaries are scary. Generally, when we are given access to a network and no one says anything, we expect the connection 24/7. Without boundaries though, you are at the whim to the reaction, and not the response. Boundaries allow real detachment, and create focus by creating restriction. If you know that you leave out of the office by 5, then you know that you will need to prioritize instead of being at the whim of the world around you. By setting those boundaries and being forced to prioritize, you now get some control with your actions and you are able to respond to emergencies in kind. For those who think that the work they do forces reaction 24/7 – unless you are a doctor or a fire-fighter I highly doubt it. That spreadsheet is not going to save a life or even the company. With most things, unless you marked the day to ship could use another day to get sharper, and your mind is often better for it.
Life comes fast if we let it.That is why it is important to learn how to disconnect and set boundaries. By disconnecting, you learn the power of no and by setting boundaries you make sure you protect your focus. Everyone wants your attention and with that phone blinking, it can come at any time. Although multitasking is something people rely on, it only hampers and takes your skill away. By bringing yourself clarity through focus and setting good boundaries, you set yourself up for success, and high performance. One of the highest forms of growth comes through disconnection allowing you to rebuild and retain. But you can only get that through focus and through focus, you can become a high performer.
From the desk of Adam Thomas 