I Left My Laptop at Home During a Family Vacation, and I Couldn’t be Happier with My Decision.
I did something recently that I haven’t done in many years. Take a vacation without my laptop in tow. And I couldn’t be happier with my decision.
For many years when it was time to pack for a family trip, I just couldn’t get myself to leave the computer out of the back pocket of my backpack. There were always papers to grade, dissertations to edit, proposals to write, and emails I just had to respond to, I’d tell myself, so there was really never an internal debate about whether or not to take my laptop on a trip. It was part of my packing routine. Like making sure I had my toothbrush and enough socks.
And it was going to be a part of my routine again recently as my family prepared for a trip to Tenerife, an amazingly beautiful Spanish island off the west coast of Africa. But as I stood there in our bedroom packing, I wondered what it would be like not to remain connected to work while we were on a vacation that was meant to help us disconnect.
Imagine not checking work emails while poolside.
Imagine not staying up late at night in the hotel room catching up on work and unburying myself from emails while everyone else was asleep.
Imagine being in the moment during our family trip instead of constantly worrying about some project or deadline or story idea I needed to pitch.
I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t an easy decision, especially since I’m pushing hard to make my business a success, but leaving my laptop on my desk at home and away from our family vacation was 100% the right choice.
Instead of my head craned down so I could scan emails on my phone, my gaze was toward a perfect Sunday evening sky as a once-in-a-lifetime stargazing excursion in Teide National Park provided us with a jaw-dropping, front row view of the stars, planets and galaxies millions of light years away that many will never witness.
Instead of worrying about what my next writing or editing assignment would be, my concern was safely maneuvering our Kia rental car through the scary mountain road to Masca, Spain, that took us through more hairpin turns than I can recall. The prize at the end of that winding road was a small, picturesque village with homes built into the side of the Teno Mountains and epic views we didn’t know could exist. The scenery was so breathtaking my words and photos do it no justice. You just had to be there to soak it in - and I was fortunate to be able to do that. With no distractions.
Instead of staring at my watch during dinner and hoping we would return to the hotel at a decent hour so I could get back on the computer again after lights-out, we spent our last night in Tenerife taking an unplanned walk along the beach and letting the waves from the Atlantic crash on our feet and legs as the sun set in the distance.
These are the moments that will stay with us forever. They are memories far more valuable than anything we’ll ever accomplish professionally. I’ll be reminding myself of this next time when it’s time to pack and I’m conflicted about whether work needs to come with or stay at home.