It was the first vacation of the year.
The vacation house was stunning. A six-bedroom house; a huge round dining table that seated eight; a big front porch… and a pool.
Laughter, humor, and the sounds of nine excited children were our soundtrack for the next seven days.
I could tell you a story about how it died.
Maybe I did it on purpose.
Maybe I was careless.
But I’m pretty sure it happened on that very first night.
In the drawer.
Next to my bed.
I didn’t realize it until I woke up.
And Sunday morning, I never thought to reach for it.
I lost myself in the coffee and conversation surrounded by my wife, my two boys and my closest friends..
We laughed, joked, and played.
It was the middle of the day before I noticed.
I hadn’t checked in on my phone.
I decided to ignore it.
That night, I fell asleep, still laughing from the fun games we played on the porch with our friends.
I awoke on Monday without a clue to what day it was.
My phone was a distant memory… in that drawer, and it wasn’t until midday that I had realized that I hadn’t even turned my phone on since Saturday.
More days of surf, sand, great meals, and laughs.
My lifeline to the world nowhere in sight.
I finally caved around Wednesday afternoon.
Yes, it was dead in the drawer.
But with a bit of CPR (and a charge) it sprung to life.
I turned it on, and it dinged, pinged, and buzzed for attention.
As I read the texts emails and notifications, it was as I suspected: no one died, no emergencies, and just nonsense.
Knowing that I had satisfied my need to confirm there was nothing to be worried about, I quickly shut it off and went back to enjoying the much needed time to relax and unplug.
I wanted to really experience what I had worked so hard to achieve.
Freedom.
Freedom to enjoy my time as I pleased without distractions.
I was free to be with the people who mattered to me the most.
I was where I needed to be at the exact time I needed to be there.
I was present.
Being present is exhilarating.
Being present is as free as you’ll ever be.
Being present is your best defense against burnout.
Back home, I’m experimenting with this phone in the drawer thing… after business hours, and on weekends.
Try it.
Be less accessible. Less busy. More present.
Tomorrow… even the next moment… is promised to no one.
The greatest gift that you can give to yourself and to those you love is to be here now.
My passion is to help busy business owners beat burnout and design a life that brings them joy, happiness, and freedom.
Could you use a recharge?
We can set up a 30 minute strategy session.
Email me. I would love to hear YOUR story.
joe@joeperrone.biz