The Power of a Five‑Minute Unplug
by Darrell Griffin, president of PureAudacity.com
There’s a saying I’ve always loved: “Almost everything will start working again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including yourself.” It’s clever, sure, but it’s also one of those deceptively simple truths that lands harder the longer you sit with it.
We live in a world where the first step in fixing a glitchy device is almost always the same: turn it off, wait a moment, turn it back on. Routers, laptops, smart TVs, even the occasional stubborn printer — they all benefit from a brief pause. And honestly, so do we.
⚙️ When We Become the Overloaded Device
The metaphor works because it’s painfully accurate. Just like our electronics, we run too many “background processes” at once. Work stress, family obligations, notifications pinging like popcorn, the mental tabs we never close — it all piles up. Eventually, we freeze, slow down, or start behaving in ways that make even us wonder, “Why am I like this today?”
The truth is simple: we’re not broken. We’re just overloaded.
And overload doesn’t require a dramatic fix. It often just needs a pause.
🧠 The Human Version of a Hard Reset
“Unplugging” yourself doesn’t have to mean disappearing into the woods or booking a silent retreat (though if that’s your thing, go for it). It can be as small as:
• Stepping away from your desk
• Taking a walk without your phone
• Sitting quietly for five minutes
• Closing your eyes and breathing
• Letting your mind wander without a task attached
These tiny resets clear mental clutter the same way restarting a device clears temporary files. They give your brain space to reorganize, recalibrate, and return to you with a little more clarity and a lot less static.
🌿 A Gentle Rebellion Against Constant Connectivity
We live in a culture that treats rest like a luxury and busyness like a badge of honor. If you’re not grinding, hustling, optimizing, or “making the most of every minute,” you’re somehow falling behind.
This saying pushes back against that idea with a wink. It reminds us that stepping away isn’t laziness — it’s maintenance. It’s the human equivalent of good tech hygiene.
And ironically, it uses the language of technology to remind us that we are not machines.
✨ Why This Little Saying Sticks
What makes the line so enduring is its warmth. It doesn’t shame you for being tired or overwhelmed. It doesn’t demand a lifestyle overhaul. It simply offers a gentle truth:
You’re allowed to pause. In fact, you probably need to.
Because when you unplug — even briefly — you don’t just rest. You reset. You return clearer, calmer, and better able to handle whatever comes next.
And just like your Wi‑Fi router, you might be surprised by how much better you work afterward.
