from the Blog

My smart phone quit working a few weeks ago. I could still make calls (who would have thought – these crazy hand held devices really can be used for calls), but all data functions ceased. No email – no calendar – no internet – no online apps. I am pretty certain that I can do without my phone, but having no data was going to be impossible. Do you feel my pain?

After an extended time with tech support – actually a pretty good experience – it was time to evaluate getting a new phone. One last stop, and one last gasp remedy – the local service center for a new SIM card. No luck, but the salesman tried something unique – he turned the phone off and back on. He reset the phone, and it worked.

I was slightly embarrassed and many friends have had a good chuckle about my experience.

In this 24/7 world we live in, our electronics never shut off. The reset is so obvious that it is always the first thing we are instructed to do when we have computer issues. Whether it is because of drivers, memory leaks, software issues, or cache errors, sometime the computer needs to be rebooted, or reset.

In this 24/7 world we live in it also seems like WE never get to shut off. And, just like our electronics, sometimes we need to reset.

We are receiving inputs continuously with kids, parents, peers, bosses, clients, media, etc. We get overloaded. Just like our electronics sometimes we need to defrag our brains.

Consider these simple actions to achieve a reset:

• Stand up from your desk and take a deep, cleansing breath.
• Take a break – every day – to reflect on your life. For some this might be a morning meditation or quiet time. For others it might be exercise time, a walk, or a run. Make this part of your routine. Me, I try to take a brisk walk everyday. Being away from my desk gives me time to gather and reorganize my thoughts without interruptions. My walking time is also thinking time. Some of my best thoughts come during these walks. 
• Clear your desk. Not clean, but CLEAR your desk. Your desk is not a filing cabinet. Clear the crap. Send the files to the filing cabinet. Minimize the clutter. Start with a fresh slate. 
• At least once a month take a personal day – I mean truly personal – a day (or half day) just for you. This is a great time to focus on a personal hobby or a guilty pleasure. I like to spend a day just pondering and fussing in my yard or garden. For some, the religion of golf is their thing. We all love our families, but sometimes you need some ‘me time’. This does not have to be a vacation day. Sometimes an early two hours on a Saturday morning before the family wakes up will suffice. The most important is to make it a guilt free time – no guilt about work, and no guilt about family.
• Take an extended break from work and daily routine at least once each year. We never seem to get a break from our 24/7 lifestyle. It is important to a break – 3-5 days or more – to really reset your brain. This can be a vacation or ‘staycation’. You will know what’s best for you. If you find yourself needing a ‘break from your break’ you are probably not accomplishing a productive reset.

Resetting is about more than the physical action of taking a break. It’s about clearing your head – and taking a mental break. It’s about taking time to refocus on the short term actions to support you goals.

This week – give yourself permission to press the reset button. Plug in some Reset time.

. . . . go have an Awesome Week!

Tom Trabue
theNextStep