Zoom Out
For many years now my out of office always said something similar to:
“While I am physically out on a holiday, my digital twin is always on 24/7/365 and you can find me on Twitter etc etc”
Multitude of variations of the above message kept my mind always attached to daily activities, always responding to people around the world. Simply said, I had major FOMO just in case I miss something. My intensity outside of headspace sessions (yes I have a 603 days streak as of today), never really subsided.
Somewhere in my mind the statement of “don’t forget to step back to the balcony” to see the full picture hovered around.
This April however I decided to completely disconnect (with the exception of Instagram to capture our journey) And this was my OOO:
In order to celebrate 1046 days at Bayer (but who is counting), I am taking a much needed holiday and will be back on April 25th. Usually my digital twin is fully available when I am on holidays but scientific evidence shows that taking a holiday and a detox results in :
1. Strong and immediate impact on molecular networks associated with stress and immune function.
2. Makes us more resilient in the face of stress and more productive and engaged at work.
3. Being exposed to new and different experiences actually boosts our creativity.
In short I was ready to zoom out and really disconnect.. to reconnect with myself and my fam. I shut off all my notifications. As we landed in Bangkok, I quickly noticed that the badges were on which was driving me insane as my unread email count, as an example, went from about 80 to over 130 just during the travel time. Badges were off too now! And that is when I truly disconnected. I spent quality time with my awesome family, did yoga, meditation, went to the gym, read a book.. During these 10 days, things that I struggled with became so crystal clear. Situations, dynamics, challenges that were circling in my head finally had clear resolutions. Most importantly I have recharged my empty batteries. I was ready to zoom back in and GSD with the team. We now have a clear rule: “If you are off, you are off. If the roof is on fire we will find you”