Taking time to detox

As a journalist and blogger, my life revolves around computer screens and social media. I work all day in front of a laptop, and then I come home and blog all night on a laptop. Sounds a little redundant, doesn't it? Now don't get me wrong: I love being a writer and all the resources the Internet provides. It's just that sometimes it can all be a bit overwhelming.

I am always scouting social media and local news outlets for story ideas at work, and then at home I am reading dozens of other blogs and sites for potential story ideas for miscelenious. That, combined with the constant pressure to be "present" on social media day in and day out can be really stressful — especially when I'm trying to have a life. I've recently begun using a couple different scheduling sites for social media, and those have been incredibly helpful. But sometimes you just need to step back and take a break — a real break — from all of it.

That's what I did over Memorial Day weekend (and yesterday), although I'll admit it was sort of unintentional. Even though we didn't have any set plans going into it, Adam and I spent the weekend together and hanging out with friends. It was my first weekend off crutches and I was ready to get out and get back into a somewhat normal routine. I had my computer with me all weekend and my phone is always by my side, but for some reason blogging just didn't enter my mind. There was never a conscious moment where I thought I should be working on next week's content or taking photos — I was just focused on the here and now of whatever we were doing, even when we were just watching TV on the couch.

Once I did realize that I had been MIA for most of the weekend (aside from a few Instagrams here and there), I noticed how great it felt to disconnect. I wasn't rearranging my plans to write my next post, or convincing Adam to go somewhere just so I could take pictures. We just relaxed and enjoyed our time together. It was rejuvenating to give my mind a break for a few days, and I realized how important it is to detox once in a while and just "reset" yourself.

Don't worry, I'm not giving up blogging anytime soon. I still love the work I do and everything that goes into it, but now I'm just more open to taking time away from it once in a while. I used to think I had to be "on" all the time, but when you're working full-time as a creative, it can be hard to come up with fresh ideas constantly. That's why it's necessary to pause everything and not put out forced content for the sake of having content. After a detox, it's easier to think clearly and creatively because you're not stressing about it. So that's my goal for this summer: to take time to detox.

What do you think — do you ever take time away to detox your mind? I'd love to hear... 

P.S. Small town vs. city living and taking time to be thankful