I went to Cape Cod, MA this past weekend for a wedding and a short vacation from my obligations in New York. Foolishly (or so I thought), I left my phone charger in my apartment and soon realized my phone was not going to last the duration of the weekend.
As it turns out, this “mistake” was actually exactly what I needed to relax. I couldn’t constantly check my email, Twitter went a few days without an update, and anything unrelated to the wedding or my relaxation was put on hold until I returned to the city–and surprisingly the world didn’t self-destruct because I was disconnected. I was OK in an absolute emergency since I could turn my phone on to use the remaining 20% battery, but I had to be frugal with how often I really had to connect to my everyday life. I found the answer was not very often.
So if you really want to disconnect for a weekend, leave your charger at home. You won’t have the power to recharge your phone, but you will have the power to unplug.
Do you remember your first kiss? The excitement. The nervousness. The curiosity. All of it leading up to a pivotal moment in your life. Those types of moments are hard to forget.
That’s how you should feel whenever you start something new, whether it’s a project, job or relationship. Those “firsts” should be memorable because you are excited, nervous, and curious about where things might lead.
Because if not, what’s the point? If you aren’t excited about becoming healthier as you start your new exercise regimen; if you don’t feel nervous about the new promotion you just received; if you aren’t the least bit curious about how a new relationship (platonic or otherwise) might pan out–what’s the point of even doing it? Instead, find something that does make you feel that way.
Life is short, be doing something memorable.
I traveled to my alma mater, The Ohio State University, this past weekend for The 8th Floor Improv‘s annual alumni show. Going back to ground zero of my comedy career and meeting with my fellow alums and current members was amazingly fun and incredibly inspirational.
Sometimes going back and remembering the successes we’ve had in the past can be the inspiration and motivation we need for succeeding in the future. Those positive memories remind us that all the hard work, long hours and stressful moments are worth it–they lead to the moments that we never forget and will reminisce about for years.
So if you’re in need of some inspiration, get nostalgic. Think back to some of your first wins in whatever it is your doing and how it felt to achieve them. Then pick up the hustle so you can create more memories to come back to.
Thanks 8th Floor for the boost.
A reader sent me a link to this fun post titled Peter Pan Professions: 50 Fun Jobs That Don’t Require You to Grow Up. The list contains some interesting professions that aren’t your typical 9-5: ice cream tester, card dealer, stunt driver, hobo, etc.
Of course the important thing to keep in mind is that any of these jobs could be amazingly fun… or they could suck terribly. Whether or not a job is fun is more about you, your attitude and what you do about your work environment than what the job responsibilities are. Sure the role itself can help–a clown is naturally going to have more laughter in his job, but that doesn’t mean the person behind the red nose can’t be miserable.
So whether you’re a project manager or a stunt person, it’s up to you to make your work more enjoyable. To get started, check out the How-To Humor for ways to incorporate more humor at work.
