Nowadays, it's easy to bring it all with you when you are planning to leave it all behind. Going on a vacation? Don't forget the world cell phone, the blackberry, the laptop, the EVDO card or the 3G card, the briefcase, the spare battery pack, the charger cables, the adapter plug, the toll free conference call number, the VOiP local line, the calling card, etc. The era of ubiquitous access is upon us. Welcome to the digital ball and chain. You can go as far away as you like and you're still chained to your desk.

I worked in the wireless business for the past seven years, which was fun on one hand because I had the opportunity to experiment with lots of new gizmos and gadgets. but on the other hand, it was a net negative because it fostered a dependency upon constant connection. Downtime at the airport? Check voicemail. Arrive at the hotel? Plug in and pick up email. Boring meeting? Check my text messages. These are work habits that can easily turn into a vice.

For the past five years, I've deliberately planned family holidays to remote destinations without internet and mobile access. While this causes a mild withdrawal discomfort and a little business inconvenience, it puts me squarely in the moment when we are roaming around a distant land. That increases the fun for my whole family. We have better memories and fun stories of our adventures.

Grownups are not much different from little kids. We all crave our safety anchors. For some grownups, the connection back the office is a lifeline to status, seniority, prestige, and power. Leaving it all behind means dealing with a foreign land on its own terms. It takes a brave person to drop all of the signifiers of status. But if you are brave enough to do it, you'll find it refreshing and liberating to dissolve your old ironclad identity and take on a new one in a new land.