Taking a Social media Break
As I mentioned in Saturday's Weekend Reads, I am taking a break from work and all media starting tomorrow (Saturday) and won't return to my computer until July 11th.
I can't think of a single time in all these 17 years of blogging that I have ever taken a complete break from Wardrobe Oxygen. Even when I broke my arm, I scheduled friends to write content and was editing it and sharing it on social with my left hand. On vacations, I've always been posting Stories, taking photos of outfits, and checking on social media. But not this time.
I have systems in place to make sure nothing breaks or turns into a hot mess, but hopefully they won't need to do anything. It's why I am not scheduling any content to publish while I am away, I want to keep things as clean and easy as possible.
I have notified the brands I regularly work with, have an out of office on my email accounts, and come 5pm today I am deleting all my social and email apps from my phone and consolidating the rest into a folder so I am not as tempted to use them. Just phone, text, FaceTime, and then any of my fitness and well-being apps.
As for how I spend my time… I have some things planned but mostly I plan to rest and get centered and figure out what I want to be when I grow up. I'm at a point professionally where it's time to do something. Change, grow, pivot, try something new, upgrade, downgrade, elevate, prioritize. And like many, I have been overwhelmed, depressed, frustrated, overscheduled and burned out making it hard to see five feet in front of me let alone five years in the future.
I quit my job in Corporate America five years ago to have a better work/life balance and since Lockdown, that balance has been thrown out the window. My hope is this mini-sabbatical will give me time and space to figure out how to switch things up and get inspired.
If you are able to take any type of break, whether it's some PTO, a weekend offline, or just a day without social media, I encourage you to do it. I know many of us are really fried right now, raw at the edges. We need to rest so we can keep fighting, because there is still so much to fight for.
I'll see you July 11th!
Love,
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Terrific plan! Iwas recently without Internet (other than at work) for 3 weeks and it was lush. Except for missing For All Mankind which I got addicted to before the electrical storm hit our wifi…. enjoy your break
Everyone deserves a break, and we don’t have to justify it to anyone, not even ourselves. Alison, enjoy your rest and we’ll all be here when you get back. One thing that really struck me about this post was the quick mention of “a day without social media” as being a respite from stress. Yes! I love reading blogs – this one of course – but I’m finding social media (Insta, Tik Tok) to be more and more of a stressor, and adding less and less value to my life. Anyone else?
Hope that you can rest and find moments of peace and real joy. xoxo
Enjoy your break!
I’ll really miss your posts but, even worse, you’re going to miss my birthday on July 10th!!! Hopefully, you’ll have an awesome present for me later in the month with an enticing post! In the meantime, have fun. Be well. Stay safe.
I cannot imagine how stressful it is to work for yourself, especially by yourself every day for 5 years. And add the uncertainty and unpredictability of the last 2.5 years into that mix, wow it’s a lot. I hope this time off allows you to regroup and focus on what you want and where you need to go for the next stage of your journey
Enjoy the time off. We have experienced so much collective trauma over that past few years that it is important to take time to reflect and try to get centered in a rapidly changing world.
Good for you! I’m planning to take a similar break. Just haven’t decided when.
RIP women’s right to control their own bodies
Best wishes to have a restful and enlightening time away. In fact, cancel the enlightening as it implies work. Just rest and do what you feel like doing only. We’ll still be here when you’re back!
Now THAT is what a grown ass woman does! I just found you and I can wait for you! Hugs…
Once I went on a week-long silent retreat at a monastery. Friends thought I’d gone crazy. Instead, it was one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done. I hope your time away is equally peaceful.
Have a great time off!
Congratulations and warm wishes for quiet time well spent!!!!!! Enjoy, rest, think…and know you are missed!!
Relax, unwind and enjoy!
Enjoy!
Our daughters need to see us taking care of ourselves.
Enjoy!
YES to this!!! What a wonderful choice. [applause, applause, applause]. Enjoy! And we look forward to seeing you upon your return to us.