Being a freelancer means you can take a vacation whenever you want.
In theory, that’s true. In practice? I hadn’t taken a proper long break in eight years.
Sure, I’d take a few days off here and there and slow down during summer—but there was always something. A project on my mind. An email to answer. Plans to make. Even when I wasn’t working, I was checking tech news, reading, learning.
This Summer Was Different
I decided to take a real break—and told everyone about it. A few days later, the emails and messages stopped for the first time in years. That’s when it clicked: I was actually on vacation.
The 12-Hour Offline Habit
Soon, I started turning off the internet on my phone every evening and kept it that way until morning—a solid 12 hours offline each day. And without the internet, my phone turned into the most boring device.
No news. No socials. No endless scroll. Just quiet.
How I Spent My Time
I spent that time with my family: long days at the beach, paddling the SUP board, watching movies, catching up on Casa de Papel, and reading. Simple things I’d been missing.
Back to Work—With a Change
Today is my first day back at work—and for the first time in years, I’m excited to start again.
Life will get busy, but I’m going to keep that 12-hour offline habit. I like what it does for me. The feeling of real disconnection. The space to breathe.
