There’s a recent parenting movement to take childhood back to the 80s and 90s: corded phones, no screens, outside until dark, unstructured time, boredom.
In a society filled with screens and endless content to consume, many parents are almost literally doing backflips to curate this type of childhood for their children. A childhood where creativity reigns and feet and faces are dirty at the end of each day.
Why are we only pushing this lifestyle for kids?
Somewhere along the way, we decided that constant connectivity was just the cost of doing business. Phones in hand at dinner. Laptops open on the couch. The ding of a Slack notification at 9pm calling you back to your computer. We've built businesses where we are permanently, exhaustingly reachable. And then we wonder why we feel depleted.
I know because I used to live that way. My boundaries were terrible. I worked a lot, I was always available, and even though my nervous system was an absolute mess, I told myself that was just what it meant to run a business.
Then I had a child and knew that I wanted him to have something that resembled my 80s/90s childhood. And let me tell you: not only is he thriving, so am I.
The research on this is not subtle. Time away from screens improves focus, sleep, mood, and creativity. Getting outside, even just a walk around the block, reduces cortisol and sharpens thinking. Doing one thing at a time is not a quaint throwback; it's how the brain works best.
We have confused being available with being productive. We have confused being busy with doing good work. And we have convinced ourselves that if we step away, the business will fall apart.
The foundation of all of it is simpler than it sounds. Do good work. Communicate your availability clearly. Set honest timelines and meet them. When you do those things consistently, you earn the freedom to actually step away. I can lose my phone and play in the creek for hours because the people I work with know exactly what to expect from me.
That spaciousness is not wasted time. It's where your best ideas live. It's what makes the work you sit back down to actually worth doing.
Hi! I’m Carrie. I believe doing good work and living the life you want are not in conflict. If you’re ready to build that way, reply to this email or see how we can work together.
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