I realize it’s time to unplug when the world starts to feel louder than my own thoughts. Emails stack up, deadlines multiply, and even moments of rest begin to feel scheduled. When that happens, I notice a familiar feeling: the urge to step away and reconnect with places that remind me how to rest.

Travel has shown me that unplugging isn’t just about turning off a phone. Some of my clearest moments happen while walking unfamiliar paths, watching landscapes unfold beyond city limits, or while spending time in places like Sandia Mountain, Blue Oak Ranch Reserve, or Santa Monica Beach. There, surrounded by rolling waters, hills, oak woodlands, mountains, and the sounds of birds and insects, I am reminded that life moves at a pace much older than notifications and calendars.

To make unplugging happen, I intentionally create distance from screens and routines, from people. I take long walks, spend time outdoors when I travel and indoors when I don’t, observe wildlife, and allow myself to be present without feeling the need to document every moment. These experiences help me return to my work with renewed energy and perspective. Unplugging, for me, is not an escape from responsibility—it is a way to restore the attention and curiosity that make meaningful work possible in the first place.