Digital Detox—The Key to Unplugging from Work on Vacation

What do you think of when you hear the word "vacation?" Many of us imagine things like sitting on the beach sipping cocktails with tiny umbrellas in them, exploring new cities, or dining in hot new restaurants. But in the summer of 2020, those pleasures probably seem out of reach. Might as well cancel those vacation days, right?

You may not be able to venture far from home right now, but it's important to give yourself time to unwind.

I may be your Modern Mentor, but I can't tell you what to do. Even so, I can urge you to keep those vacation days locked in. You may not be able to venture far from home right now, but it's important to give yourself time to unwind, even if that looks less like "umbrella drinks by the beach" and more like lazing around your backyard with a blow-up pool and a great book.

Why you should take a staycation

Burnout is at an extreme high. According to global coach Sabina Nawaz, “While the number of hours worked is soaring, people’s capacity to focus and produce quality work is diving.”

A digital detox—a true disconnect—is about more than being able to fully indulge in an exotic destination (a thing you might recall having done in other years). It’s about giving your mind and body some time to recover from stress, demands on your attention, and the constant state of alertness to the needs of customers, colleagues, and your boss.

So how, in this moment of high anxiety, do you effectively unplug during a vacation so your mind and body get the benefit?

How to plan your vacation digital detox

Commit to and communicate your digital detox plans

Successfully unplugging begins with your commitment to it. If you don’t truly believe in the power of the break, then all the suggestions to follow will fall flat.

In a 2017 study in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life, researchers found that technology use had a hand in determining a person's work-life balance. Being constantly connected digitally had an impact on job stress, the feeling of being overworked, and overall job satisfaction. So, unplugging, even just to do nothing, is the greatest gift you can give yourself. And it truly will pay off at work when you return refreshed.

Consider all you’ve been carrying—the stress, the juggling, the multitasking—and imagine how much value a true break of even a few days could offer.

But—for all kinds of reasons both practical and personal—it...

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