Unplugging at The Barn at Bhakti Manor
Unplugging at the Barn at Bhakti Manor
If I made a list of all the things I do as a business owner, band manager and mama, your head would spin. Heck, mine does most of the time.
I thought I had a pretty solid handle on how I was balancing it all until iPhone shared that handy little screen time thing. Well, letโs say I felt sick.
ย JUST FREAKING YIKES! 61 HOURS A WEEK ON JUST MY PHONE. THIS DOESNโT INCLUDE TIME AT MY DESK!ย ย Well, I knew I had to do something ASAP. That amount of screen time would eventually lead me to my least favorite spot, burnout. When my hubby had a show in North Carolina, I knew I needed to tag along and spend some time in the mountains.ย
Yโallโฆ.let me just tell you, I will be going back. I did something crazy when packing. I left my laptop at home. Yes, on my desk. It stayed here a whole weekend. Two states away. On our way to North Carolina, I was having some slight heart palpitations. I kept that to myself. But I felt like an addict jonesing for their next fix. I felt naked. Vulnerable. Nervous.ย Afraid my business would magically go up in flames during those whole 48 hours away.ย
& thatโs exactly why I needed the time away. Thatโs why I needed a vacation from my tech and hide away in the mountains.
*Fact* It wouldnโt have mattered if I brought the laptop because my service was terrible out there. Major blessing.ย T-mobile problems. Hubs had no cell problems up there.ย
Yโall, the cabin we stayed in was everything I needed. Gorgeous piano. Comfy beds. Coffee at the ready. Cute porch swings. No tech. Just a wall full of books. Flowers. Comfort. Exactly what I needed.
So much of our lives is spent working. We have this hard time putting the technology down. More on how weโre working on being less techy as a family later. While my screen time is down a few percent, Iโm still spending close to 50 hours a week on my phone alone working, answering emails, checking social media to see the latest thing Iโve been tagged in, etc.ย
Recently, an article made an appearance on BuzzFeed about burnout which prompted my own burnout story. I knew all time spent working would put me back in the emergency room. Iโve done it too many times.ย
Which is why I felt so strongly about needing a
break. Let me tell you what happened when
I unplugged for a few days.
โข Business stayed afloat
โข I had this incredible weekend with my new hubby
โข A sense of renewal
โข New appreciation for my business and the freedom it can and does bring me
โข Intense happiness
โข Clarity in my business
โข Clarity about my personal life
โข Relaxation
โข Laughter
โข Deeper connections with the person I love
โข Made new lifelong friends in the cabin owners, Debra and Richard
โข Puppy snuggles
Snuggling Bhakti. I have to get in puppy snuggles everywhere I go. I was really missing my pooches. Good thing the Barn at Bhakti Manor is dog-friendly. Leo & Lola will be joining next time!ย
Debra, the amazing cabin owner. She is a rockstar and when you stay at The Barn at Bhakti Manor, be sure to give her a call. She has the best brunch suggestions and is just generally the warmest, friendliest woman Iโve met.
The need to unplug was exactly what I needed because I came back from my trip refreshed and excited to tackle projects. I promise if you step away from your business, your business will still be there. The leads will still be coming in. The world wonโt stop turning. Things will be okay. If anything, theyโll be drastically better. I promise.ย
Stepping away can make all the difference. Going away for a weekend gave me a chance to miss the kids. Get clear on my business. Connect with the hubs as a couple and not just a couple of parents. Disconnecting did wonders for all of my personal relationships.ย
I stopped burnout in its tracks and thatโs something we can all use. With so many millennials reporting the feeling of burnout, we need to step away. Being constantly connected has left us exhausted, stressed and overworked. We spend so much time comparing ourselves to others because of how connected we all are.ย
Unplugging gave me space to exist in my world without the jealousy lens on. I could free think about all the things without pressure to see what everyone else was doing and working on. Way too often weโre looking at the digital space and living life through images, videos and what others and saying/doing when life is happening right in front of you if you pause and unplug.ย
We had this incredible breakfast at a local farm to table restaurant, Yonder Cafe. P.S. I have a super cute sticker from them on my laptop now.
This super cute waterfall at The Barn at Bhakti Manor. It was so peaceful and beautiful in the morning before we left.ย
Snuggling with the hubs, Glenn Price, on the porch at The Barn at Bhakti Manor. So thankful for a life that allows us to get away sometimes.ย
If youโre headed to the Mountains of North Carolina, I cannot recommend the Barn at Bhakti Manor enough! You can check them out below.ย Be sure to tell them Ashley sent you ?ย Also, I dropped their social media below!ย
The Barn at Bhakti Manor