How To Unplug From Your Online Business (Without Guilt)

How To Unplug From Your Online Business (Without Guilt)

Feeling constantly “on”? Stuck in a loop of emails, notifications, and multitasking—but guilty at the idea of taking a real break?

In this episode of Ditch the Chaos, I’m sharing what it actually looks like to unplug from your online business without guilt, shame, or fear that everything will fall apart.

You’ll hear:

– The emotional and physical signs that it’s time to unplug

– How multitasking is keeping your brain overloaded (and what to do instead)

– Five levels of unplugging—from two-minute resets to all-day escapes

– My own burnout moment that forced me to finally take unplugging seriously

If you’re craving white space but feel tethered to your work, this episode will help you start small—and breathe again.

→ Start Chaos Detox and build a productivity system that helps you unplug and get things done: https://carachace.com/chaos-detox

Want to read the original blog version of this episode?

CLICK HERE →  How To Unplug: A Simple Guide for Online Entrepreneurs 

Transcript

# (27) How To Unplug From Your Online Business (Without Guilt)

[00:00:00] When was the last time you went an entire day without unlocking your phone on purpose? If you're an online entrepreneur, that probably sounds impossible, but today I wanna show you exactly how to unplug without the world falling apart. Welcome to Ditch The Chaos, A snackable podcast for busy women who are done with burnout, rigid routines, and productivity guilt.

[00:00:26] You'll get clear, actionable strategies to reclaim your time and energy without more hustle or long to-do lists. I'm Cara Chace, entrepreneur since 2015, mom of two wife to one, and I am unapologetically caffeinated. Let's dive in.

[00:00:42] When you work online, especially in digital marketing, your workday can feel like an endless stream of pings, notifications, and distractions. Even if you're not in digital marketing, chances are you spend a lot of time marketing your business through social media, email, or both. [00:01:00] And if you're like most small business owners, you love learning and leveling up.

[00:01:05] Maybe you're in a mastermind coaching program or a Slack group, add all that to your marketing work and unplugging can feel impossible. And I haven't even brought up the school Facebook groups or the family group texts. By now, you probably know exactly how you feel when being on hits a breaking point.

[00:01:26] You start to feel distracted, like you can't finish anything, constantly interrupted, restless, anxious. These are all signs you probably need to unplug for a bit. And by unplugging I mean more than just putting your phone on silent. One way to train yourself to unplug is to practice being present and not multitasking.

[00:01:48] If you start your day scrolling the news while drinking your coffee, you're multitasking. If you're brushing your teeth while listening to a business podcast, you're multitasking. If you're [00:02:00] scrolling Instagram while your kid reads their spelling list to you, you guessed it. You're multitasking. Practicing presence helps you strengthen that unplugged muscle.

[00:02:10] It's what helps you resist grabbing your phone out of habit. I love practicing presence in the morning. Because it sets the tone for the rest of my day and know I'm not about to tell you to get up at 4:00 AM and start a 90 minute routine with magically quiet kids. That's not real life. If you have littles, every time I try to wake up 20 minutes before my kids, they somehow wake up earlier too.

[00:02:35] So I've given up on that, and we just start the day as a family. It takes effort to sit and enjoy my coffee without just checking email real quick or checking the news. And while squeezing a text here or an email there might feel productive, you're not actually doing anything particularly well. So let me let you in on a little secret.

[00:02:57] Your to-do list will never be done, and there will [00:03:00] never be another hour in the day. Learning to focus on your most important priorities, eliminate context, switching with theme day planning and saying no to what doesn't move you forward. That's the key to both accomplishing more and unplugging more.

[00:03:17] Theme day planning is one of the core methods that I teach in Chaos Detox, so check out the show notes to learn more. If you're curious about how this helps, I hit a tipping point of overwhelm several years ago. That led to one of the best aha moments as an online entrepreneur. I had different project management tasks that were spinning around in my head.

[00:03:38] I was living on coffee and crackers. I was sleeping maybe six hours a night. I was irritable, hungry, and bouncing between half finished tasks. I was constantly interrupted by emails, texts, kids, husband, dog, but I had put on my calendar weeks earlier that I was going to go visit a friend midweek.

[00:03:58] We touched base that Monday, and [00:04:00] even though my to-do list was screaming, I stuck to it. Her house is an hour away. I arranged childcare. I stayed up late two nights to prep for being offline. I told my clients I'd be unavailable and scheduled out every pen in post. I got up. I got the kiddo to school. I picked up supplies, which meant mimosas, and I hit the road.

[00:04:24] The whole day my friend and I caught up. We laughed, we lunched, we shopped. We compared notes. We solved all the world problems, and I didn't so much as unlock my phone. There was a few glances at the screen to check for family emergencies, but not a single app was opened. I came home, I went to bed early. I woke up the next day after eight hours of sleep, and I was refreshed, happy and ready to tackle the day.

[00:04:53] It was everything I thought it would an unplugging, but it doesn't hit you until you reach that breaking point [00:05:00] and you feel the difference that unplugging makes. So how do you do this consistently while you're juggling family and a business? One minute at a time. Start with just a few minutes at the top of every hour.

[00:05:15] Go to do nothing for two minutes.com. You just have to sit there. You zone out, you listen to the audio for two whole minutes, and if you touch your mouse or your keyboard, the timer restarts. The first 30 seconds feels like torture. Then your mind just kind of calms down and it's over. Suddenly you're ready to take on the next task.

[00:05:38] You can use the website or you can just step away to stretch and breathe for a couple of minutes. Take the time to gather yourself without distractions, then try 20 minutes. Take a walk. Doodle in a notebook, do some yoga or stretching, organize something if that makes you happy. That always makes me happy.

[00:05:58] Drink some tea. [00:06:00] Read for fun. Listen to music. Have a snack. The only rule is no screens. If you usually only read on an e-reader like a Kindle, try going to the library and check out a few books. Real books won't tempt you to click over to Pinterest. Don't underestimate staring out the window either.

[00:06:21] You'll be amazed what surfaces when your brain has space. Even if you only do one or two of these breaks a day, it totally counts and it will help you build that muscle. Next try upgrading to an hour. Eat a real meal at the table with no devices. Do any of the 20 minute activities that I've listed for a full hour.

[00:06:43] Take a scenic drive, even if it's just a couple of times a week that you take an hour to unplug, it really makes a difference. Then try half a day, go for a hike, see a movie, go shopping. And I don't mean running errands, [00:07:00] I mean shopping for yourself. If that's something you enjoy doing, explore a new town, take a creative class.

[00:07:07] Eventually try taking a whole day to unplug. Go somewhere alone. Visit a friend, take a family day trip. And yes, that takes front end prep, but you will reap the rewards. And to be clear, these are not activities to do while peeking at your phone. These are phone on silence, screen free moments. Sure, you might need to check for emergency calls, but that's it.

[00:07:32] Don't give in to the itch. Don't. If you really wanna be bold, go somewhere without your phone. Here are a few ways that I regularly unplug. I shower at night after putting the kids to bed. I know if I showered in the morning, I'd feel rushed, and I don't like that At night. I can take my time and it helps me transition to the evening.

[00:07:58] I realize that might not be for everyone, [00:08:00] but if you haven't tried it, try it and see if it makes you feel good. Evenings with my family are non-negotiable. Clients know that I'm unavailable after 4:30 PM period. Saturdays are unplugged days for me. I leave my phone plugged in and I don't pick it up until late afternoon.

[00:08:20] Then it's just a quick check for texts or calls, but no social media. Being a work from home mom means your energy is pulled in a million directions, but your schedule is flexible. If you need a beach half day while the kids are at school, that's doable. If you need a midday walk to clear your head, totally feasible.

[00:08:40] You chose this life for the flexibility and the family priorities. Don't let us slip away into always on burnout. If you work on mindfully unplugging, you will be calmer and more able to problem solve without feeling drained and pulled in those gazillion different directions. So here's your reset and reclaim [00:09:00] action step for the week.

[00:09:01] Pick one unplug habit that you can start this week. Just one. Maybe it's the two minute break at the top of the hour. Maybe it's a screen free walk, or maybe it's plugging your phone in on Saturdays and walking away. Pick one and stick with it. See how you feel. Thanks for tuning in. If this episode helped you subscribe so you never miss an update and share it with another woman who needs to hear it.

[00:09:25] For more resources, show notes in my Chaos Detox course. Visit Cara Chace.com. Until next time, I'm Cara Chace reminding you to keep questioning the rules and making your own.