Comments on: To Unplug or Not To Unplug?

By: Greg Flippen

Greg Flippen — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:40:14 +0000

I work as a project manager for a large financial services firm and on a average day I might receive 100+ e-mails a day. I tend to try and stay semi connected when on a vacation or down time. It’s more relaxing for me not to deal with 500+ e-mails when I get back in the office. On the flip side, I understand my wife’s complaints about always being connected. If we’re on vacation, and I’m still semi-connected to work then that also means that I’m not fully connected with her when on vacation. I try to minimize this by trying to skim through the e-mails and delete the junk, only responding to what is critical. Another thing that helps me tremendously is having the Blackberry which is synchronized with my work e-mail. I can check e-mail instead of grabbing the newspaper during the “reading breaks”.

By: matt

matt — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:38:29 +0000

I find that I used to check my emails all the time at home. I hated getting phone calls, but my email was a must, and I found myself getting emails that would stress me out and not let me sleep. Then our internet at home went away. It really bothered me for a while that I could not compulsively check my emails, but now about 2 months into it I love not having that weight on me every night. I know that when I leave the office, for the most part, most of what I was working on or dealing with stayed there. My family got more of me.

I am looking forward to going on vacation in August and leaving my computer at the office and turning my phone on silence.

By: Mary H

Mary H — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:34:34 +0000

Here are a few comments from a reformed “constantly connected junkie”. These are all questions,thoughts I went through in my struggle to disconnect for a while. Believe me it was not an easy fight.

1.Your time away should be just that. It took me a long time to reach the “Be still” stage while on vacation. I went through all the excuses just like many of the respondents to this blog. I found that it all came down to a trust issue between me and God. Did I trust that God could handle things while I was not on duty? I had to face one of my favorite Andy Stanley questions. “How big is your God?”
2. What kind of example was I setting for my staff, my family and others in my life, if I did not “rest”? I perceive it sets up a culture that will burn the most dedicated people out.
3. Often times God calls people to mountain tops, deserts, places where He can have their undivided attention, places where they have no choice but to rest,so that He can prepare them for a great work. No cell phones. No computers. How many great works did I miss because I did not unplug, truly rest and trust God?
4. My husband deserves my unplugged time. I could say it all day long, but if I was not fully dedicating the time I promised as “time off”, my mind and heart weren’t exactly following my mouth.

So I pray that you will “Unplug”, rest and let the God of the Universe handle things while you are off duty.
Live Dangerously!

By: joseph

joseph — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:34:02 +0000

Like you, checking in occasionally makes me relax better.

By: Krohnus

Krohnus — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 05:25:14 +0000

I would love to say I totally stay away from the tech when I’m off… But I don’t. Im typing this from my iphone… At midnight. My question usally revolves around what I decide to stay connected to… I just have to unconnect to reconnect.

By: jason

jason — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:57:12 +0000

God asked me to lay down the blackberry about 4 months ago. I have been more productive and less stressed..
Only you can ask yourself just how “in-touch” you have to be. I am more connected to God, and less affected by circumstances that I know I couldn’t control even with a blackberry…

VOTE:UNPLUG and ENJOY!

By: Larry

Larry — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:17:20 +0000

I just got back from 4 days in the Keys. I am thankful for my blackberry that I checked out from time to time and kept the “to do” list shorter. I think the key is when you are away, choose your timing carfully when you are going to plug back in. You dont want the family to think “nothing has changed.”

By: Darren Chapman

Darren Chapman — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:20:26 +0000

I stay very connected all the time unless
1. I’m convicted or convinced that it’s actually a waste of time and I back off for a while.
2. I’m on holidays.
I should probably back off more regularly. It’s not good for freedom nor for your relationship with God if you’re always connected, always logged onto facebook and surfing Twitter. :)

By: adamf

adamf — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:55:44 +0000

I just came back from vacation where I looked at my email and voicemail one time. It was nice to check, but also nice not to have to respond.

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:51:15 +0000

It depends on the situation. If I’m on vacation I try to leave my laptop at home and maybe check email once or twice to clean out my inbox - but sometimes not at all. I always have my cell because of my kids, but I don’t answer anyone else and check voice mail. When I’m away on retreat I put my cell in my suitcase and pull it out to talk to my family once a day.

To be honest, I do best if my laptop is simply not with me. I would do better to not check anything at all. HAving it with me is a strong pull and temptation that I don’t need. So I’ve been leaving it at home more. I don’t have a blackberry for this very reason.

I struggle most of all to not check email and messages on my sabbath. I guess cause I’m at home and my computer is right there.

BTW, my need to check has no root in actually NEEDING to work. Staying conncted is really just an addiction I am working on breaking……..my time with my family and with God and just with my own thoughts is more meaningful if I turn it off completely. (except for calls from family)

By: Mike Jones

Mike Jones — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:11:36 +0000

About 360 days a year I’m over connected. But every once in a while I just have to completed disconnect. But I can’t so I have to go somewhere where I can’t access my phone or my computer. That’s the only way I can really disconnect.

By: Antwon Davis

Antwon Davis — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:50:35 +0000

I am one of those guys that’s either totally connected or semi-connected. My biggest problem is my computer. I am either constantly online or designing something. It seems like every 10 minutes, I come up with a new logo concept or a desire to revise something or an idea to blog about. I just have to check my email at least 5 times a day or Facebook at least twice a day. It eases my worries (lol). I know it’s sad, but I thank God for the iPhone. Now all of my emails, twitter, Facebook, etc. come straight to my phone and I can check it all from there.

I also think that since I’m a college student with no wife and kids, I don’t feel too convicted about it. But I can see where it can almost consume you if you aren’t careful. That’s why I sometimes have to escape to a Starbucks or Barnes & Nobles to meditate, read, or just to sit. It works… sometimes… if I silence my iPhone.

T H I N K | C H A N G E

By: Sujo John

Sujo John — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:41:00 +0000

Craig,

The only time I used be totally disconnected is when I would be in a remote location in a foreign country on a missions trip and these days thanks to the Blackberry phenomenon that is a story of the past.

Thank you for being an inspiration to so many preachers.

Sujo John

By: Paul Kuzma

Paul Kuzma — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:37:26 +0000

I guage how much I do or don’t do this while away on a few factors:

1. How am I feeling right now…REALLY?
2. Who is with me on this time away (wife, kids, friend, etc.)?
3. What are the circumstances at work/church while I am gone?

Those questions help me determine my connectivity while I am gone. If I have hard and fast rules about it, then I tend to drive myself bu guilt rather than grace.

By: Dale Schaeffer

Dale Schaeffer — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:20:57 +0000

Semi-plugged in for me. I’ll check the voicemail and e-mail about once a day. This helps me feel at ease, and eliminates a lot of stress.

The best thing I do is take a break from blogging, reading blogs, news, television and movies…it is unbelievable how relaxed I am and how clearly I think when I take a break from media…our entire family has been doing that for One Prayer and it has been awesome! We’ve laughed, shared, and played together more than any other time in the last year!

By: Rusty Williams

Rusty Williams — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:15:13 +0000

I actaully think that staying connected a little bit as you go is just fine. Sometimes I think we can take the whole disconnection thing too far. I really believe that it is more for you than it is for the organization. I’m sure time off is not going to sink lifechurch. I think staying semi-connected says more about your passion than it does your commitment to a sabbath. My passion is what keeps me motivated spiritually. That may or may not make sense but I can only say that continual contact with my passion in some way, small or big, is what makes me tick whether I am functioning as a full time pastor with a boat load of responsibilities or not. It’s just there and it is what makes me tick. Whether on vacation or not.

By: KarenP

KarenP — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:12:59 +0000

Total disconnection for me. I need the break away to let my mind rest from constant planning and the distress of problem areas. I try to not even talk about work with my husband during vacations. It is not until the return trip that I let my mind begin to focus on work.
I spend the week before I leave organizing as much as I can so that things flow smoothly during my time off and making sure there is someone responsible for all important areas in my absence. I figure if there are not people capable of managing things while I get some necessary relaxation we have a problem - what would happen if I get run over by a bus tomorrow. That weakness then is an organizational issue that needs to be addressed and we are not being responsible in building other’s abilities.
To ease the first day back I use my old-fashioned daytimer agenda. On the page for the date of my return I list by priority everything I need to accomplish in the first week back. It helps me to hit the ground running instead of wasting time trying to get organized. I also go in to the office an hour ahead of everyone else to open e-mail and get oriented while it is quiet.

By: bob robbins

bob robbins — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:18:09 +0000

I am not sure that it’s right or even best but I don’t think I could ever totally disconnect. Just getting away seems to do the trick for me. If I were to be totally disconnected I think I would feel naked.

By: Kevin M.

Kevin M. — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:03:16 +0000

@ Mark Schulz - very helpful questions to consider!

I am usually totally unplugged when I am away. I don’t check e-mails or phone calls. I still blog and check blogs though.

By: jason salamun

jason salamun — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:22:15 +0000

I’m like you Craig- I tend to feel a bit more at ease when I am connected. At least somewhat.

I multi-task well. But I’m learning that it’s not about what I can handle- it’s about how it makes others feel.

I want to treat the person who’s with me like they are valuable and deserving of my attention. I’m learning to not look at the phone when it rings (or vibrates) or watch a family movie with email up on my laptop.

Again…I’m learning. I’m not batting a thousand but I’m working on it.