Hey there, wonderful readers! It’s been a little longer than usual since my last update, and I sincerely appreciate the thoughtful emails checking in – you guys are the best! For those curious about where my attention might wander when not on the blog, you can often catch glimpses of my latest obsessions over on Instagram. I hadn’t truly planned on a full week’s hiatus, but as you’ll soon discover, my reason for stepping back was more than justified.
To put it succinctly: for the past two weeks, I embarked on a much-needed vacation. This wasn’t merely a change of scenery for my usual blogging routine; it was a complete, full-on break. I disconnected from blogging, writing, the endless stream of emails (or at least, I made a valiant attempt!), and other professional commitments. My two-week road trip was a whirlwind of memorable experiences, hopping between the historic charm of Richmond, VA, the vibrant energy of Washington D.C., and a few other delightful hotspots. The primary goal was to meet a new guy’s wonderful family, catch up with friends, soak in the sun on the beach, and simply focus on having fun, indulging in an admittedly excessive amount of grilled delicacies, and accumulating some truly impressive tan lines. And of course, my faithful companion, Charlie, was right there with me for every adventure!
As a somewhat unfortunate side effect of my travels and perhaps my body’s utter confusion about the concept of true relaxation, I also managed to pick up a sinus infection. It seems my system has quite literally forgotten what a vacation is actually *for* – a gentle reminder that even when the mind is at ease, the body sometimes needs extra care to truly decompress.
For someone with my typically compulsive workaholic tendencies, this period of complete disconnection was a significant adjustment. In fact, it often felt like I was forcing myself to do something profoundly unnatural. It might sound peculiar, especially to those outside the U.S. where work-life balance is often prioritized differently, but after blogging almost without interruption since 2010, the act of telling myself *not* to succumb to the gravitational pull of “Mount Inbox” was incredibly challenging. I even attempted to maintain my posting schedule during the first week, successfully sharing my new DIY air conditioner screen and seeking your valuable advice on built-in ideas. However, thanks to an exceptionally unreliable internet connection at “the river house” – a charming term I’d never truly encountered before this trip, and the scenic backdrop for many of the images in this post – I was ultimately compelled to step back. It forced me to confront a crucial question: *why is it so difficult for me to simply stop, even for a moment, and truly allow myself to relax?*
In retrospect, I *could* have meticulously scheduled a few more posts in advance, and I certainly made an effort to do so. But in the weeks leading up to this journey, I was already juggling far more responsibilities than I could realistically manage. For someone who has written extensively about time management and has consistently been told that I appear to have my life perfectly organized, it was a humbling moment to admit that my ego – rather than genuine ambition – was a significant part of the problem. I was undeniably tired, bordering on burnout. The sheer arrogance of believing I could simultaneously prepare for a major trip, fulfill all my ongoing work and blog obligations, *and* get two weeks’ worth of fresh content ready ahead of schedule was, in hindsight, utterly misguided. Before I fully grasped the situation, I was in the car, my laptop securely tucked away and out of reach. I had spectacularly failed at my pre-trip goal. And you know what? I believe that failure was precisely what I needed. It was a vital lesson in self-awareness and setting realistic expectations.
It’s not that I haven’t taken time off or enjoyed some travel before. I’ve savored spontaneous weekend trips to the beach, and I maintain a wonderfully consistent social life. This year, I’ve even managed to carve out a precious bit of time from my usual packed routine for a burgeoning love life (details of which I haven’t extensively shared yet, as it’s new territory, and oversharing on someone else’s behalf requires a delicate touch – but trust me, *I’ll get there*). However, what I haven’t done, until now, is completely step away – entirely – from the world of design, blogging, emails, and all their accompanying demands for a week or more. This trip presented a crucial opportunity to learn how to truly disconnect and shed the ever-present label of being “too busy.”
The Deceptive Power of a Single Word: “Busy”
Here’s the profound realization I had about that seemingly innocuous word, *busy*: I understood, partly after reading rather, *skimming* through insightful articles like this one (because, ironically, I was too “busy” to read the whole thing, of course), that I was severely abusing its meaning. Its pervasive use in my daily life had become a strange, self-fulfilling prophecy – a kind of meta-irritation. Yet, there was a peculiar comfort in declaring myself “busy,” or in chiming in agreement when friends asserted their own frantic schedules (“How are you? Oh yeah, I’m crazy busy too!”). But the truth is, *it’s total nonsense*. Such pronouncements merely made me sound more like the perpetually flustered White Rabbit from *Alice In Wonderland*, rushing without purpose.
While I read constantly, only a handful of articles truly resonate with me, striking a chord with their genuine earnestness. These are typically the profound musings from fellow bloggers I deeply admire and consistently follow (Kit immediately comes to mind, and on a completely unrelated but exciting note, I’m already envisioning another trip to her incredible farm!). Sometimes, these pieces offer such fresh perspectives that they inspire me to actively experiment with new ways of thinking and living. This particular article, focusing on “the art of not giving a f*ck,” remains one of my all-time favorites. I’ve enthusiastically recommended it to countless friends (a quick warning: for those who might spontaneously combust at the sight of strong language, you might want to bypass the link – but for everyone else, it’s truly worth a thoughtful read!).
Around a week before my trip, I serendipitously fell down an article “rabbit hole” (pun absolutely intended!) and found myself devouring multiple posts on the topic of chronic busyness, why the word itself is often a trap, and various strategies for liberation. I explored insightful pieces here, here, and here, among others. I became deeply intrigued by the idea of embracing a “not-using-the-b-word” mindset, as explored in articles like this one, and wondered if applying some of their advice could genuinely benefit me. My primary goal was straightforward: to experiment and see if this new approach could alleviate my feelings of being perpetually stretched thin and exhausted, and perhaps, more importantly, help diminish the relentless urgency of work while I was away. The first week of my vacation proved to be a significant challenge, but by week #2, I was genuinely witnessing how these seemingly simple tips could instigate a profoundly positive difference in my state of mind.
Embracing a Simpler Vocabulary: Stop Using the Word “Busy”
The core concept behind this challenge is remarkably straightforward: commit to eliminating the word “busy” from your everyday vocabulary for at least a month. For me, this extended to synonyms as well; words like “swamped” and “crazed” were also temporarily banished. This deliberate linguistic shift immediately forced me to become much more conscious and intentional about how I described my activities and availability to others. This change proved particularly beneficial in my communications with blog sponsors, design clients, and even close friends. Instead of vaguely stating, “I’m busy until X date,” I could now express my exhaustion with greater transparency and honesty – a quality I continuously strive for. For instance, my replies transformed into, “I regret to say I took on too much this month,” or “I’m consciously trying to disconnect from my inbox while I’m out of town, as I desperately need this mental break. If you wouldn’t mind following up with me next week upon my return, that would genuinely help me immensely.” The most rewarding aspect of this approach was the overwhelmingly positive responses I received. It highlighted that while those who seemingly “hound” me have their own demanding schedules and deadlines, perhaps the collective sense of urgency is something we all need to critically re-examine and recalibrate.
Reclaiming Focus: Turn Off Notifications
I must confess, I have a slight, yet significant, problem with those ubiquitous little red alert bubbles that relentlessly pop up on my phone. If they’re there, my impulse is almost irresistible – I *must* click on them. What initially appears to be a task I can tackle “real quick” invariably transforms into fifteen minutes or more of utterly wasted time. One notification leads to another; something catches my eye, a quick response feels necessary, and before I know it, I’ve been sucked into a digital vortex. So, in the week leading up to my vacation, I imposed a strict challenge upon myself: I turned off all notifications, cold turkey. Furthermore, I went a step further, deliberately removing the icons for my most significant daily distractions – email, Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter – from my home screen and relocating them to their own dedicated grouping on a separate “page” of my phone. This strategic rearrangement meant that to access these apps, I had to make a more conscious, deliberate effort. And it worked beautifully. I found myself checking each platform far less frequently and spending significantly fewer moments wrestling to get myself back on task. This simple yet powerful digital declutter made the week preceding my road trip astonishingly productive, and I’ve found that it has continued to make subsequent weeks considerably easier to navigate, fostering a newfound sense of control over my digital environment.
The Art of Being Present: Stop Multi-Tasking and Value Idleness
Oh, man, this particular habit is arguably one of my most profound struggles. I’ve always taken immense pride in my ability to squeeze every last drop of productivity out of moments of idleness, especially when working on various projects. For example, while patiently waiting for the glue to set on my custom A/C screen, I’d instinctively grab a can of spray paint and dive into a separate project I’m planning for the kitchen. Then, while *both* those elements were drying, I’d be out in the yard, snapping pictures of the invasive bamboo and documenting my ongoing efforts to eradicate it. However, the fundamental essence of a true vacation is precisely what idleness embodies. In fact, after just two days of consciously doing *nothing*, a persistent, unsettling feeling nagged at me – a sensation that I was somehow flaking out or neglecting something critical. What if everything simply fell apart in my absence? Was my carefully constructed world truly that fragile? This pervasive feeling of unease eventually dissipated (a concept I intend to explore in its own dedicated post someday), but it almost made me laugh at how prolonged and arduous the process was for me to simply get used to the profound act of relaxing.
It’s now been a little under a week since my return from the serene landscapes of Virginia, and I’m diligently striving to integrate these newfound ideas and practices into my daily life. Naturally, a substantial backlog of emails eagerly awaited my attention upon my return! Yet, the most remarkable and unexpected outcome is that I’ve felt a significantly diminished sense of urgency compared to any time in recent memory. I firmly believe that this newfound calm is largely attributable to these seemingly tiny, unimpressive changes I implemented during my break. Only time will tell if all these practices will truly stick for the long haul (I’m particularly skeptical about completely abandoning my multitasking habits), but I am profoundly grateful to feel less anxious while simultaneously maintaining a consistent level of productivity. If you, dear reader, have your own tried-and-true tips for eliminating the pervasive feeling of busyness from your life, I would absolutely love to hear your insights and experiences in the comments section below.
Stay tuned, because there’s so much more exciting content coming your way this weekend and throughout next week! The posts I had originally intended to publish during my vacation will soon make their long-awaited appearance. First, however, I am eager to provide you all with a comprehensive recap of my incredible trip, covering all the highlights from Richmond, D.C., Virginia Beach, and beyond. And rest assured, Charlie, my adorable travel companion, will be getting her very own dedicated post because every single thing she did was utterly hilarious – especially her memorable and utterly charming experience with the beach!