When Your Comfort Blanket is WiFi

First published 28 August 2025

I’m typing this whilst wrestling with a modern dilemma that I suspect you may also recognise.

In a few days, I’ll be stepping aboard a cruise ship for what will hopefully be a proper break.

The kind where you watch sunsets without checking the time, eat meals without having to cook them first, and actually finish conversations without your phone buzzing.

But here’s the thing – there will be at least two full days where I’ll be completely outside of data or network connections.  Not patchy WiFi or having to deal with roaming charges.

Nothing.

Radio silence.

And I’m genuinely not sure how I feel about that.

The Safety Blanket We Never Asked For

When did our phones become security blankets?

When did the ability to check emails, respond to messages, and stay “available” become so intertwined with feeling safe and in control?

I’ve been honest with myself about this – part of my concern about disconnecting isn’t really about missing urgent work matters.

It’s about the fear of missing opportunities – the FOMO is real!

What if someone wants to book a session or is feeling rubbish and needing a quick balance while I’m unavailable?

What if there’s a collaboration opportunity that goes to someone else because I didn’t respond quickly enough? If you work for yourself, this feeling is magnified tenfold.

There’s no colleague to cover, no “out of office” that feels truly legitimate (although I have switched mine on – so we will see if that helps!).

It’s just you, your business, and the nagging voice that whispers, “What if everything falls apart without you?”

The Stress Response We Don’t See Coming

From a stress physiology perspective, our constant connectivity is keeping our nervous systems in a perpetual state of low-level alert.

We’re always “on,” always ready to respond, always scanning for the next thing that needs our attention. (constant fight or flight anyone?)

Our adrenal glands don’t distinguish between a genuine emergency and a work email marked “urgent.”

They respond the same way for both – with a little hit of stress hormones that keeps you primed for action.

Multiply that by dozens of notifications a day, and you’ve got a recipe for chronic stress that we’ve somehow convinced ourselves is just “being professional.”

The irony isn’t lost on me – we think staying connected reduces our anxiety, when actually it’s likely creating so much more of it.

There’s No Universal Right Answer

Here’s what I’ve realised: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to taking breaks from technology.

Some people thrive on complete disconnection.

Others need the security of knowing they can check in if necessary.

Some find peace in scheduled check-ins, whilst others prefer to go the abstinence route.

And the truly human aspect is that you might prefer one approach today and a different one tomorrow.

What works for you might not work for your colleague, your partner, or even you next week or next month.

Your needs might change depending on what’s happening in your life, your stress levels, or simply how you’re feeling about work that particular week.

The key is being honest about what you actually need versus what you think you should need.

The Work Ethic Trap

You come from a culture where taking breaks can feel almost… indulgent?  Idle hands and all that…!

Where there’s a part of you that feels guilty for not being available, not being productive, not being “on” all the time – after all it’s ‘lazy’ to not be doing something productive, right?.

But here’s the thing – your best ideas, your clearest thinking, your most creative solutions often come when you step away from the noise.

When you give your mind space to wander, to rest, to process all the information you’ve been cramming into it.

Your business, your work, your responsibilities will still be there when you return.

And you’ll probably handle them better with a rested nervous system and a clearer perspective.

Your Disconnection Challenge

So here’s what I invite you to try this week: imagine you’re facing two full days with absolutely no connectivity.

No phone, no internet, no way to check emails or respond to messages.

Do a mini body scan as you think about this scenario.  What comes up?  What do you notice?  Excitement?  Panic?  Relief?  Dread?  Where do you feel these emotions in your body?

Journal about what worries you most. 
Is it missing opportunities? 
People thinking you’re unprofessional?
Hearing your granny’s or your mum’s voice in your head to not be ‘lazy’? 
Something genuinely urgent happening? 
Or is it simply the discomfort of not knowing what’s happening in your digital world?

Then ask yourself: What would need to be in place for you to feel okay about this disconnection?  What boundaries, systems, or mindset shifts would help you embrace the break rather than endure it?

As usual, there’s no right or wrong answer here.

This is about understanding your own relationship with connectivity and making conscious choices rather than just reacting from anxiety.

As for me?

I’m going to embrace those two days at sea, camera in hand for the photo opportunities, and trust that everything will be exactly as it should be when I reconnect.  (and if can force myself to do it, there may be a number of videos recorded too!)

Speaking of which – I’ll be opening the treatment room again on the 15th of September for new bookings, so if you’ve been thinking about working together, pop that date in your diary to get in touch.

Until then, may your breaks be as connected or disconnected as you need them to be.

With love and gentle accountability,

Angela