What a week.
The work I do with businesses on honoring relationships and integrating technology has never felt more important. Nothing like a large-scale shocker to make us see how much we need each other. And how easy it is to slip into total obsession with our Twitter feed, Facebook page, email updates, and instantaneous news cycles.
Raise your hand if you're already exhausted!
Under any circumstance, we humans need a break--a time to meander, enjoy one another's company, sleep in, and do nothing. And as we roll through November and then December, and all the holidays, we will have a chance to be with our friends and families. However, left to our own devices, we are often not connecting. Even on vacation.
Let's face it. We're all on this tech-fueled hamster wheel together. So what can we do?
I turned to my friend and favorite travel guru, Michael Holtz, CEO and Founder of Smart Flyer, for some advice. Over the years, he has helped me create some off-the-grid vacations and excursions to allow for some much needed family time. And he reminded me that, "Time is the ultimate luxury, so plan your trip in a way that allows you to enjoy your time the most optimal way."
So, whoever you are, wherever you go, whatever you decide to do, remember that the best vacations honor relationships. Here are some guidelines and ideas.
1. Get off the grid. My husband and I love active vacations, and so as soon as my youngest child was six years old we booked a Backroads family trip to the Grand Canyon. We traveled with other like-minded, active families, and we were actually camping (read: no cell service). In tents. I remember all the teenagers on their phones before we got there, but within 24 hours the kids were going on bear hunts, playing soccer and even doing relay races with their parents. According to Michael, we aren't the only ones who want to "get it away from it all," and adventure travel is on the rise.
2. Get out of your comfort zone. Last year, my family took a trip to the Bahamas and instead of sitting by the pool, Michael and his team suggested an excursion instead--swimming with the sharks. While I am not such a big underwater fan and definitely don't love sharks, I would do just about anything to get my kids off their phones. And it was such a great bonding experience that had nothing to do with technology. So even if grid-lessness is not your thing, getting a little jolt out of the ordinary will do everyone some good.
3. Take out the board games. Whether you are traveling the world, or conserving your energy by indulging in a staycation, don't forget to bring out the board games. A family poker game? Hearts? Even playing good old Monopoly or Apples to Apples is a surprisingly fun and relaxing way to spend time together. And kids really learn a lot by playing these kinds of games. And hey, so can we.
4. Create rules of the road. For any family on any trip, rules of the road are a must in order to manage expectations for all involved. For instance, if your teenagers are like mine, and are adamant about keeping their snapchat streaks alive, consider letting them check their phones a few times a day. Or insist that mealtimes are device-free. If you have kids who can't sit still or who don't want to sit at a meal altogether, come up with games, contests and topics of conversation that will entice them to the table. But whatever you decide, stick to it.
5. Check your device at the door. More and more hotels and resorts are coming up with programs that help minimize or eliminate technology so that you can disconnect in order to reconnect. For instance, Villa Stephanie at the Brenners Park Hotel and Spa offers guests a complete digital detox free of "e-smog." At the touch of a button guests can disconnect from the whole world, while copper plates in the wall and a unique paint finish create an e-smog free sanctuary, pure of electricity or Wi-Fi, offering a natural, more restful sleep. So that's an option, too, for singles and couples who want luxurious quiet.
Amazingly, there are detox packages available around the world.
Even in the best of times, vacations can be tough to do well. We get caught up in our phones, in ourselves. And these days especially, in the news. But it's not as hard as it might seem to really get away and to truly recharge. And it's so important! All we have to do is honor relationships. Each day. Wherever we go. The world will thank you.