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Disconnecting to reconnect

I’ve got a bit of a confession this week. May & June was a blur of emotion, filled with a frantic pace to tidy up my Mother’s affairs, plan several memorials, travel and keeping up with work commitments throughout. While I didn’t collapse in a heap, I likely should have, and whether I’m willing to admit it or not, my super hero cape flew off a couple times. I know full well that I need to now take a rest, regroup, reenergize my spirit and ultimately my business. We’ll be cabin bound up the Sunshine Coast soon and I can’t wait! I plan to work remotely while there, and return to town for some meetings, but there will be lots time to “just be” in between it all. Sometimes you need to get away, and shut off social media for a while to allow creativity to flourish.

 

And that’s my topic for this week: taking time away from social media to think, create and connect. I call it “disconnecting to reconnect”. It’s so vital, yet increasingly scarce to grant yourself freedom from online connection these days. While I’m a huge fan of social media and it’s contribution to your 5-pillar media strategy (owned, rented, earned, embedded and paid media), I am ever aware of how it sucks time, energy and resources, as it increasingly becomes a major part of our daily lives.

A recent study noted that Canadians on average spend 5 hours a day online, and much of that is through personal mobile devices. While that statistic provides solid evidence of the marketing opportunities available, it illustrates how collectively we are devoting less time to cultivating deeper real-life relationships, or simply taking the time to be lost in the creativity of our own thoughts, rather then scrolling news feeds and photos.

Perhaps I’ve become a bit jaded seeing sponsored content from people I don’t even know showing up in my feed, promising great things, or worse how to make meaningful connections in business. Call me a cynic, but I’m certain that a few broadcasting from exotic locations, bragging about how they made their million, are shallow fakers. I’m afraid they just leave me wanting to connect with real people, in real time even more.

I don’t plan to switch off, because I can’t. It’s my business to be connected, and my clients expect it. But I do plan to take well-deserved breaks. And that’s my brief message for you this week. As we roll into enjoying some summer weather and holiday time (at least here in the northern hemisphere), I invite you to consider disconnecting to reconnect – even if briefly.

Mary Charleson

Comments

  1. Hi Mary,
    I’m sending you a big hug of condolence on the passing of your Mom. You were wise to unplug when the time was right and you knew when that time appeared.
    I know that some time had passed but I too was unplugged for a while. As always, thank you for sharing your insights, wisdom and yourself with all of us!

    BTW, I’m having cafe au lait, half decaf:)

    Hugs
    Pat

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