In the spirit of the summer holidays we all miss from our childhoods, this July I encourage you to take a vacation… a mental vacation! Shut off the news station that is on a loop of doom and gloom, stop scrolling through the endless social media feeds that are targeting your biggest fears and insecurities, and leave that Amazon shopping cart alone (you do NOT need another charging station or non-stick frying pan)!

• How much of your busy day and limited energy is spent online?
• When you get 20 minutes to yourself, are you spending it with your face glued to a screen?
• What hobbies or interests did you have pre-COVID that you have neglected?

Let’s make a pact that this email is the LAST thing you will read online today…

Okay, maybe that is a bit extreme. Let’s commit to spending 30 minutes a day unplugged. Whether you choose to spend that 30 minutes exercising, baking, reading a book (a real one, made of paper!) or sleeping, do it unapologetically. Do not be surprised if the benefits include increased energy, improved relationships, a cleaner house, uplifted moods, and a deep desire to increase the challenge to an hour a day!

I started kayaking and paddleboarding during COVID and can’t believe the positive changes in my life (once I got over the guilty feeling of taking time away from my teenagers).  I am more calm, more fit, more tanned, and more balanced (literally). Not to mention that I can brag that I paddled under a bald eagle and over a snapping turtle, had a beaver challenge me to a race, joined a family of 6 loons fishing for their dinner, took a dip with some playful otters, and expertly avoided a mid-river collision with a moose. Bald Eagle Video – Click to Download and View

I issued this challenge to our TFP team, and I’d like to share their suggestions with you, in case you need some motivation!

• Bev: Yardwork and gardening
• Kerry & Jen: Floating/Swimming in the pool
• Shiv, Chris, Patti: Biking, Tennis, Kayaking
• Audiobooks: This one makes the list, even though you are technically ‘plugged in’…but you are really tuned out to the world around you. Jen and Kerry suggest audiobooks while walking (and Chris does NOT recommend them while biking). Not sure audiobooks are for you? Try the FREE Libby app or a free 30-day trial of Audible.
• Digitizing your old photos: This one gets an honourable mention as well, as it is a great brainful (as opposed to brainless) use of plugged-in time. Sara and Chris suggest these great tools to scan your old photos and negatives into the digital world: Kodak Scanza or Vance AI.
• Cooking or Baking: You need to eat anyways, why not try challenging yourself to trying a new recipe every day! This morning our team gathered for our monthly team breakfast, and Chef Chris served up Grilled Grapefruit! You’ll have to ask Chris for his secret ingredient, however, my lips are sealed. The admin team recently had the opportunity to eat a 7 course meal, including freshly made wood-fired Italian pizza with real buffalo mozzarella and sour dough crust, poached pears, and homemade pesto gnocchi. Does anyone know why the Italian flag is green, white and red? Each band represent the delicious local produce of Italy (Basil on the West coast, Mozzarella in the Central region and Tomatoes from the Eastern regions).

• Sewing or Crafting: Patti and I decided to spend our lunch breaks at work creating Sock Monsters. While this was more of a winter-weather project, it still met the criteria of being unplugged and the end results were hilarious.

• Eric is committed to getting one round of golf in a week, with the goal of getting a second round in when possible.  The average round of golf, if walking and pushing a cart, burns between 1,000 and 1,300 calories, and is an excellent way of being social and disconnecting from the outside world. Not interested in golf? Get out there for a regular walk; you know you’ll feel better having done it.  It’s even better if you can find a partner to add the social benefits.
• Rob’s favorite 30 minute activity is to jump in the sauna with a cold plunge (in three sessions) while listening to a pod cast on varying topics, or music.  Aside from the health benefits, he says he comes out feeling refreshed and energized every time!