It’s so important to know our productive times of the year, but it’s equally important to take time to unplug.

This even includes all the ways we’re plugged into technology—even Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

I’ve been on the move these past few months and it’s been so nice to unplug.

Since beginning my travels in the Spring to Costa Rica with “Live Your List,” followed by a retreat to Italy with a fabulous group of women (for Women’s Wisdom and Yoga), I have been less engaged in social media. You may have noticed I’ve only been on Facebook in spurts. The very nature of a retreat is to get away from daily life and experience what’s different and new. When I’m leading, I want to be 100% present for the participants, so I completely unplug from social media. (However, it’s truly a great gift to me and it feels so freeing.)

Summer has long represented time to be unstructured and barefoot (although, my feet aren’t as appreciative of flat flip flops and sandals these days.) I’m sure you know what I mean, though—you wear less clothes and makeup and vacation more doing less.

I suppose I could feel like this is totally unproductive and make a case for not taking time off.

But, that’s not at all how I feel.

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As a writer and producer of ongoing content, the doing less and living without structure is imperative to my creativity and also to rejuvenating my ability to tap in. It’s essential to spend time nourishing my spirit.

It’s the same for you, too. The latest research shows that taking time to play pays great dividends to your productivity and engagement when you return to work.

One of my trips this summer was to a family wedding in Boston. My Mom had never been to New York City so we landed in Newark and were tourists for a few days hopping on and off the bus and walking. We did lots of walking.

A highlight was visiting the memorial and museum for 9/11 and the new reflective pools of the World Trade Center.

As I stood peering into those glistening fountains with all the 9/11 victims’ names etched in stone around the outside edge–a white rose occasionally placed on one–I thought: This is how we do it in America. This is how we say to the terrorists of the world: We won’t become your victims of fear. We will get back up from this fall and rebuild and we will remember; those whom we’ve lost we will carry forward and their lives will be honored. We will carry them with us into this new world.

As I walked through the museum my thoughts were of all the firemen and police—our civil servants who lost their lives attempting to save others. And, I thought about how many of our police are not at all honored right now because of a the terrible conduct of a few. It is a great service that these men and women sign up for in our police departments and we should not forget what our world would be without their protection—without the safety they provide us.

I’m home now and back online— I will find a few more times to unplug before the end of my barefoot summer days, but be sure to look for me on facebook live chats.

Be sure to soak up some rays, unplug and enjoy your summer, too, as you live your most vibrant life.

Please share with me in the comments where you’ve visited this summer!

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