When hundreds of techno geeks and tweeting freaks gather on October 10 to discuss social media (live and virtually), I will take the stage to preach the gospel of unplugging.

The event is called UnSummit, and this impressive gang is leading the rest of us into the future, for better or worse. I’m excited to lead a controversial discussion—and shall wear a helmet!—when I dare to ask…

For many of us, our love/hate relationship with digital tools and toys makes marriage look uncomplicated in comparison. On one hand, social media is cool, immediate and amusing. On the other hand, the sudden ubiquity of screen living can be creepy, anti-social (ironically) and addictive.

The UnSummit sessions are less about making a presentation, and more about facilitating a spirited conversation. With that in mind, I am prepared to listen more than lecture—and come home prepared to ponder (and perhaps write about) what I learn.

The event is “sold out” but you can no doubt catch Tweetfeeds if you are interested.  And apparently they’ll be posting all videos of the sessions on the UnSummit website at some point.

Highlights include…

This stirring quote by Stefan Sagmeister, a graphic-design guru whose promotion of sabbaticals is getting a lot of link love–and even a speech at TED…

Believe it or not, Einstein began to develop his breakthrough theory of relativity not while slaving away in the lab—but rather, while on Sabbatical.

Since the risk to your career is real, try to tie (some of) your BreakAway experience to your work, rather than just fly off to revel in vain travel.

In our last BreakAway BreakThrough post, we went back to school. Awwww!?! Now that THAT routine is running as smoothly as a champion football team, here are some ways to escape the grind and embrace fall’s groove.

• Watch the waterfowl; stroll along a lake and listen to the loons and friends as they make their way south (lucky ducks!).
• Don’t just jump in the leaves, create a comfy pile and chill there a while.
• On a sunny day when color is peaking, drop everything and ride right through it.
• Head to the farmer’s market and marvel at the bounty; maybe make and freeze up a big batch of red sauce so you can taste the sunshine in tomatoes and peppers all winter.
• Catch a falling leaf, maple-tree helicopter, or star.
• Walk in the woods—alone or with a favorite friend or pet—without your favorite digital devices.
• Host a big, fat bonfire and roast savory sausages and stuff on sticks.
• Let the face find you and carve life into some pumpkins.
• Forgot to make your summer BreakAway? It’s NEVER too late: Take a fall vacation or even a staycation.
• When Indian summer hits, dig out the shorts and soak up some sun—since it may be many months before that sweet, sweaty feeling arises again.
• Cold coming? Do your Emergency Coziness Preparations by stocking up on firewood, candles and cognac (or hot chocolate).

• 25 percentage of Americans who owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth
  
• 70 percentage of Americans who aren’t sure they’ll save enough for retirement

Is there a silver lining here? Possibly, but remember that silver isn’t worth much compared to America’s gold-standard lifestyle. Perhaps the best hope is that the cycle has to end someday. And then home prices will again start rising, mortgages will seem more worthwhile, and retirement accounts will be both higher in value and priority.

 

This recent NYT story cites these interesting trends…

 

• The affluent led the rally; households earning more than $70,000 are the top users
• Printable website coupon usage is skyrocketing, thanks to sites like redplum.com and coupons.com
• In tough economic times, people like the feeling that they’re doing something to survive and thrive—rather than just getting all depressed and whiny

 

 

If consumers also practiced such discipline and diligent pennypinching when times were good, perhaps they could enjoy more vacations, weekend escapes and even three-month BreakAways.  But with any luck, these good habits can last even when the wealth effect makes folks feel flush again.  We can only hope…

 

 

If the stuff surrounding you seems to be growing like a fungus, you’re not alone, as this Zogby Interactive survey suggests: 

 

• 22 Percentage of U.S. adults who have given away more than 10% of their belongings because they were no longer needed
• 17 Percentage who said they gave things away in the past year because they have too much 
• 28 Percentage who said they had given away more of their belongings in the past year than they had previously

 

Let’s face it:  We’re not addicted to love (as the song says), we’re addicted to stuff!  And shopping!  No doubt there are cultural reasons (the buy-buy messages never stop, and shopping is social), and probably some psychological ones (retail “therapy” and oh, the joy of the purchase!). 

 

Nonetheless, imagine how much more money we’d have if we could limit our addiction.  And with that extra money, we could slow down, buy some time and give ourselves a BreakAway. 

 

After all—as we say on this website over and over—the best investment you can make is in good memories.  Because nothing appreciates more over time. 

 

No, not even your stuff. 

 

 

Poor guy.  Kanye works so hard he seems to forget to take time to practice good manners.  As he reflects on the Jay Leno Show, he’ll use this blunder to unplug the fame machine, learn from his mistakes and, well, grow up.  According to the man himself:

 

 

One good gaffe deserves another, eh?  President Obama—off the record—responded to Kanye’s actions by calling him “a jackass.”  The comment was not intended for public dissemination.  But of course, we all know that in this digital day and age, no secret is sacred.  Especially when you’re the most powerful person on the planet. 

 

The President will learn that soon enough (or he, too, may need a Sabbatical!).  Meanwhile, we hope Kanye has a great break—really—and that others singing the done-somebody-wrong blues will consider taking time off to apologize, ponder and heal. 

 

But autumn is also a good time to get back to some life goals and projects.  So if you’re raising children, don’t just phone in fall.  Harvest the opportunities and potential.  This week’s BreakAway BreakThrough offers some suggestions.

 

BABT9:  Back to School Basics … 11 Ways to Make Fall Functional & Fun

 

• Allow some weeknights to be NOT routine.  Have friends over, play a game, see a movie.  
• Teach useful life skills like putting out clothes the night before, making the bed in the morning, and packing a healthy lunch. 
• Want to paint, pound, write?  Follow your offspring back to class yourself. 
• Be the solution:  Volunteer at your kid’s school or wherever more heads are needed. 
• Make homework a priority—not a punishment—and help out.  (You may relearn many things you have forgotten!) 
• Schedule BreakAways to avoid a gruesome grind; plan vacations and breaks and use them as carrots and rewards. 
• If your children have activities, be a supportive parent—but try not to let youth orchestra or hockey become too penalizing. 
• Talk about the last and next summers; embrace the seasonal differences and plan cool stuff as an antidote to the school-year schedule.
• Remember that book learning is only part of the experience; take a daily interest in social, emotional, physical and spiritual development. 
• Relax:  Let every day have some down time and join in on the goofing off and loosening up. 
• For God’s sake, say a prayer at bedtime and preach good sleep. 
• Keep education in perspective:  Your kids can thrive even if they don’t become valedictorian or get a Div-1 scholarship.  (Just like you!) 

 

Here’s a taste of the sweet-sour sabbatical dispute.   First, NYT writer Jack Kadden discusses comments by the president of Lafayette College, Daniel Weiss, who defends two practices that seem to infuriate critics of the high cost of college: sabbaticals for professors and the growth of non-faculty staff.  Weiss says:

 

 

So that proves it:  BreakAways are not just for us modest midwesterners anymore!  Even the rich and savvy long to leave their successful towers.  Peruse the Tweetfest that led up to their departure…