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Fast Company
a day ago
- Business
- Fast Company
I turned off my phone for a week: Here's why you should too
I run two companies, lead a team of over 20 people, mentor women entrepreneurs, and juggle multiple side projects. As a result, my calendar is filled with calls, meetings, decisions, deadlines, and the constant ping of notifications. For years, I convinced myself that unplugging—even for a day—would be reckless. What if something urgent came up? What if everything collapsed? Eventually, though, I did it. I turned off my phone for seven full days. No email, no WhatsApp, no Slack, no Instagram. Just silence—and, of course, a notebook. This digital detox had a deeper purpose than a conventional holiday. In today's world, being on vacation can mean keeping in touch, even if lightly: answering emails, reading news, scrolling through social media, and so on. We stay in the information bubble, which makes it difficult to tune out the noise. I didn't plan to turn this into a case study. I simply needed a break. What I didn't expect was how deeply restorative and surprisingly productive it would be. My fear was that it would slow me down, but instead, it recalibrated me. And if you're someone who thinks they can't afford to disconnect, that's exactly why you should. Here's a way to start. What the detox looked like Because it was the weekend, I didn't need to make a big announcement. Just four people—my mother, sister, business partner, and assistant—knew how to reach me in case of an emergency. Everyone else was left in the quiet. It was all designed consciously. Part of the detox fell on the weekend, when I did not expect any urgent messages from clients or partners. Also, there were some public holidays, so in the end I only missed one day of work. At the same time, I put my full trust in my team. Our managers are the first point of contact for clients, while my business partner is the go-to touchpoint for employees. Everyone also has my assistant's contact details, so if something truly pressing had come up, they would have easily found out why I wasn't responding. So, late on a Friday night, I shut my phone down, and didn't turn it back on until one hour before my next workday. This buffer gave me space to ease in without anxiety. In case you're wondering, there were no exceptions. The phone wasn't silenced or stashed in a drawer I could access when I needed comfort. It stayed off, completely out of reach. Here's a snapshot of how a day looked like during this period: Mornings started with movement—pilates or a long run—followed by a mindful, unhurried breakfast. Then: hours of reading real books. No articles, no headlines. I took two naps a day for the first 48 hours. It was as if my nervous system had been waiting for permission to rest. By day three, something shifted. I began writing. Not for deadlines, just to think. I filled pages and pages—including my goals for the year, updates to my life balance wheel, forgotten ideas, coaching reflections, and personal values I hadn't revisited in months. Creative clarity came fast, and because I opened the space for it, it stayed. Three lessons I took with me I walked away from my phoneless time with dozens of insights. Of those, three stayed with me, and they've reshaped both how I work and how I lead. #1: Clients are mirrors Every client relationship reflects something back at you. When you're truly present, you start to notice what those reflections are teaching you—where your boundaries are too loose, where your expertise can deepen, what energizes you, and what drains you. We also learn to listen more attentively. As a seasoned PR pro, I know what I need to do to achieve the best possible results—the biggest coverage, the boldest narrative, the most polished story. But over time, I've realized that what I consider 'the best' isn't always what the client actually needs. This shift in perspective changed the way I work, and helped me build deeper relationships with my clients. I can honestly tell I've learned more about myself from client work than from many books or programs. Not because they teach me something directly, but because they hold up a mirror. When we're receptive to it, that relationship becomes a shared process of growth. #2: Choose your energy before the day begins Before I made this shift, my mornings belonged to everyone else. I'd wake up and immediately jump into the noise—emails, deadlines, and messages. I was reacting to the world's demands before I'd even taken a breath. But now, I begin each day with a decision: Who do I want to be today? I started setting a tone for the day, not with tasks, but with intention. Calm. Generous. Creative. Focused. That one quiet choice each morning changed how I navigated everything else. I wasn't reacting, I was leading from the inside out. And when you do that, the world starts meeting you differently. Now, the day feels like mine—not something I'm surviving, but something I'm actively shaping. #3: Don't make decisions just to relieve pressure Many of us, especially high performers, can easily confuse urgency with clarity. We say yes, push forward, launch, commit. Not necessarily because we're grounded, but because we're tense. Stepping away helped me name that pattern. During this time, I realized how often I made choices to soothe discomfort rather than move from vision. Now, before anything, I pause and ask myself—Is this decision coming from a place of power, or from a place of pressure? Why more people should try a phone detox Your brain needs rest. Not scrolling, not content-switching. Real, deep rest. We don't hesitate to give our muscles recovery days after a grueling exercise session. Why can't we do the same with our minds? When we stop consuming content, our brain starts producing it. Ideas resurface. Our vision returns. We reconnect to the version of ourselves that doesn't need noise to feel alive. Silence, as I learned, did not slow me down. It reintroduced me to what matters the most. We frequently imagine disconnection as a luxury. It's not. From this new vantage point, I can say it is a leadership practice. It is how we step back into our lives with discernment, energy, and purpose. Nothing burned down while I was gone. The world kept spinning. And I came back steadier, sharper, and more attuned to those things I hold dearly. If you're still thinking along the lines of, 'I could never take a week off,' that's exactly your sign. There is clarity waiting for you, patiently, on the other side of silence.
Bloomberg
13-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Ligado to Pay Inmarsat $568 Million to End Spat Over Radio Waves
Ligado Networks agreed to pay its business partner $568 million to resolve a contract dispute that had threatened the satellite operator's plan to cut debt and reorganize in bankruptcy court. The agreement with Inmarsat Global Limited clears one of the two main hurdles to Ligado's plan to restructure its $8.5 billion in debt. Inmarsat had claimed that its rights were being threatened by Ligado's proposed wireless spectrum deal with AST SpaceMobile Inc. The new deal that both companies have agreed to will now come before a bankruptcy judge in Wilmington, Delaware, for approval later this month, Ligado said in an emailed statement.
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
FLOURISHING AFTER 50: My husband's business partner is bleeding us dry and I'm scared we're going to lose our home
Dear Vanessa, I'm 58 and have been married for almost 30 years. My husband has run a business with his friend for most of that time. I've always stayed out of it - he's in charge, and I've trusted him to make good decisions. But things have changed. Over the past few years, the business has struggled. They've poured more money in, and they recently took out another loan that was secured against our home. I signed the paperwork, yes, but only at the last minute after being told it was urgent and everything would be fine. Now, I feel sick about it. I don't trust his business partner. He always seems to have an excuse for the numbers not stacking up, and I've heard him say things like 'we just need one more year'. Meanwhile, we've taken on more debt, and I have no idea what our financial position really is. I've asked my husband about it, but he gets defensive or brushes me off. He says I don't understand how business works - but what I do understand is that we've risked our home, and I didn't really grasp how far things had gone until it was too late. I'm scared. What happens if it all falls apart? I've spent my life building this home, and now it's on the line. I don't know what I can do from here. Worried Wife. Dear Worried Wife, You are right to be concerned. This isn't just a business issue - it's a shared financial future, and your security is tied up in decisions you haven't been fully part of. Many women sign documents out of trust or a sense of urgency - especially when it involves someone they love. But that doesn't mean you have to stay silent now. Here's what I strongly suggest: • Speak to a licensed financial adviser straight away. To help them give you clear guidance, prepare a full list of your assets, debts, superannuation, and anything your home is tied to including business loans and guarantees. The clearer the picture, the better they can help. • Push for transparency. Your husband might be trying to protect you from worry but shielding you from reality isn't helpful. You have every right to ask for the business's financial reports and to know how your home is being used. • Consider getting legal advice. It's worth understanding what you've signed and whether there are any protective actions you can take now to limit further exposure. • Set firm boundaries. Make it clear that no further loans or financial decisions involving your assets can be made without joint agreement in writing. You've spent nearly 30 years building a life together but now it's time to protect the next 30. Information is power. The more you gather, the more you seek advice, the clearer your path becomes - before you're forced into action by a situation you fear. If you're looking for a licensed adviser, I offer a free referral service to help connect you with someone who suits your needs. You deserve to feel safe and confident about your future - not anxious and in the dark. Take care,
