I Have 99 Problems, But Checking My Phone In The Middle of the Night is Not 1

It was the middle of the night when I reached for my phone to check my email.

What could go wrong?

The insomniac in me thought I could casually check my phone without repercussions. Why not productively use that time instead of tossing and turning?

Instead of using that time wisely, I accomplished one thing: I had annihilated any chance of a restful night's sleep.

The worst part?

I was on vacation.

Stress began to build. Not just from the email, but from the frustration of not being able to sleep. 

What if I can't sleep? What if this restless night ruins my entire vacation?

There I was—me and the bad news—wide awake in the middle of the night.

What should I do? What needs to change? Do I need to respond right now?

From that moment and the eight years after, I've smartened up and learned how to disconnect the right way to do more for myself and, ultimately, my business.

Here's how I do it.

Meditate

In that moment of freaking out, I downloaded an app and tried a 10-minute beginner meditation.

My mind was still racing. Thoughts about work and the bad news kept flooding in.

I was supposed to count my breaths, in and out, up to ten.

One, two, three… But maybe we could change direction…

One, two, three, four… Or maybe just stop this project altogether…

And then, suddenly, after a few minutes of counting to ten, Silence.

It took me a moment to realize what had happened. The thoughts had come and gone, and I had finally been able to count my breaths. My mind had stopped racing.

Over the years, I've practiced and learned to use meditation as a tool to focus on being present. 90% of the time I can quickly shift to noticing my breath and letting the stress drift away.

Turn on Focus Mode

I structure how I connect when not at work to protect my mind and time.

I make use of technology to do that. Enter Focus Modes on my iPhone – an underrated but game-changing feature. 

I can watch a show in peace at night and text close friends and family about it without distraction from other matters that can be handled in the morning. I can work out and listen to a comedy podcast and laugh my ass off without getting distracted by every message that comes in. And I can wake up in the middle of the night and check the time without getting sucked into a stress-inducing email vortex.

Take that Vacation For Real

Now, when I go on vacation, I don't look at it as a time to sneak in some work when I can; I look at it as something ensuring the business's long-term success.

When I take vacations:

• I minimize personal future regrets about missing out on quality time with my family. Fueling my personal life ultimately gives me more energy to stay in the game at work longer.

• It allows other people to step up into a role and make proactive decisions based on their unique expertise. Sometimes, the temporary absence of the leader is all people need to gain confidence to act without permission.

• It helps me get perspective on the business that I wouldn't otherwise have if I was focused on the problems of the day. This can be anything from a big creative marketing idea to our place in the market.

So, the next time you opt to put your phone down and check your email later, remember:

1. That problem will be there when you pick up the phone.

2. In your time away, you might discover a mindset, perspective, or idea that is so good for your business that the perceived "problem" is really just a passing nuisance.