Unplug and Unwind

Remember when the fax machine first became popular? You could send someone a document in about a minute. That was the coolest thing since Federal Express (back when it was still called Federal Express), which practically revolutionized American business by making it possible to send someone a document overnight. How quaint! Now, we can send an e-mail or even a text message from New York to Bangkok in about a second.

But this Instant Everything mentality we’re living in doesn’t exactly make life any easier—and no, I’m not referring to what happens when our hard drive crashes or our smartphone falls into the pool (because we all have everything backed up on the cloud anyway, right?). In the Instant Everything Era, the general consensus is that because we can communicate instantly we feel we must—24/7.

So it’s not surprising, then, that we are all Masters of Multitasking, busily doing at least three things at once. Cooking dinner while talking on the phone to set up a meeting or appointment for tomorrow. Watching a movie while we order a gift online and simultaneously check our credit card balance. When was the last time you hopped in the car without automatically dialing your cell phone and plugging in your iPod?

Our minds are filled to the brim, overflowing with stuff. How many points did the stock market fall today? What’s wrong with my email program? Does my child have an eating disorder? What if I get fired or the company is downsized? Is my bank safe? Will terrorists attack again? Will my guy win the election? When’s my next appointment with my therapist/doctor/acupuncturist? Do I have time to get to the gym this week?

Whatever happened to the leisurely stroll after dinner? You know, the one that didn’t involve heart monitors or pedometers or the sensor you slip into your running shoes that connects wirelessly to your iPod so you can track your calories burned, miles run, and all that other information you so vitally need. The kind of walk that didn’t necessitate a cell phone or wasn’t isolated in whatever world you tune into through your headphones.

Here’s a news flash: Slowing down is vital in this fast-paced world. Yes, vital—for our health and basic sanity. It’s actually one of the most basic forms of energy healing. I’m not saying that you can’t ever multitask. I’ll be the first person to admit how unrealistic that would be. But what I am saying is that you must take at least some time in your day to unplug. Try taking a walk—minus your cell phone, iPod, or heart monitor. Just you and your feet (and the house key so you can get back in). Walk for the enjoyment of feeling your feet connect to the earth. It’s there, even under concrete!

As you walk, imagine pulling your energy down from your head, away from all those troublesome thoughts, down your body, and through your feet, sending it deep down into the earth. If possible, walk barefoot on a beach or somewhere in nature. If you’re in a city, walk through a park, or just notice clouds in the sky, feel the sun or wind on your face, listen to the birds. When you find yourself lost in your thoughts, stuck in your head, connect again to your feet as they touch the earth. If you don’t have time to take a walk, just go outside at night and count the stars for five minutes, or watch a sunset (or sunrise). You could even just push back from your computer and daydream for ten minutes in the middle of the day.

So be radical. Do something unprecedented. Unplug. The results will be unreal!