Unplug Yourself

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“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” — Anne Lamott

It’s almost always a bad idea to try and make difficult decisions in the fog of war, unless we absolutely have to. 

In the midst of the battle, we’re faced with a host of messages and signals coming at us, non-stop, seemingly at random. Sometimes, our senses are heightened and we’re fully attuned to our circumstances, allowing us to make sharp, intuitive decisions. But more often than not, we’re not. Or we aren’t for any extended period of time.

In those situations, instead of continuing to fight (when it isn’t a necessity or a requirement), it makes more sense to take a step back, to unplug, to take a break.In other words, the old “Microsoft solution” - reboot your system.

This might be as simple a short break, or a quick walk around the block as you step away from the situation at hand. In others, it’s stepping away entirely, and leaving the issue for a day or two, perhaps sleeping on it. 

By removing ourselves, we’re able to step away from the fog and come back to the situation with a fresher perspective, a clearer point of view. We can analyze the situation without the emotion or the attachment that fosters itself when we’re in the fight. 

Because cooler heads always make better decisions, especially in the most difficult situations.