Can You “Check Out”?

When was the last time you didn’t have your smartphone within arm’s reach? How long have you gone without checking your email, posting on Facebook or sending a text message? Have you ever left the house without your phone and turned back to get it – even though it added another 20 minutes to your commute? Have you actually ever officially “checked out”?

Probably not.

Here I am on vacation in the Northwoods writing this blog. I will be on vacation all week and will check my email every day – several times. I will log in to check on client campaigns and meet deadlines that could probably wait a few days. I am not an on-call rescue person, I work in advertising. But we have been conditioned to be connected all the time. What if I miss something? Will work be a bigger shitstorm if I don’t check in all week and come back blind? Or would I enjoy my vacation more and relax if I just shut my phone, laptop and tablet off and just checked out? Honestly, I don’t remember what it even feels like to leave home without my smartphone.

So, tell me – when you go on vacation do you leave it all behind? Let me know and I’ll respond when I get back. (I’m officially checking out now.)