Switch to Hibernation Mode When You’re Feeling Depleted
If you are going through a long transition period or are just feeling drained, it can help you go into “hibernation mode.” I heard this advice on the Happier With Gretchen Rubin podcast when I was on maternity leave, and immediately felt comforted. Low power mode – yes . During this period, you can only perform the most important functions, postponing everything else until you return to full capacity. You are conserving your energy so you don’t have to completely shut off. (The term refers to the iPhone’s battery saver mode for non-Apple people.)
The battery analogy makes sense. If you’re on hibernation and lost in a blizzard, would you read the True Detective season finale summary on Wikipedia? Could you take a quiz to see which video you are about Taylor Swift? Would you suddenly remember that your printer is out of toner and order it on Amazon with same day delivery? You wouldn’t. You would just ask for help and try to keep warm. In life – say, if you’re adjusting to a new job – you can go into a low power mode at home. You will have time with the laundry and dishes, but the Condo with the trash bin will have to wait.
This helps you communicate to loved ones that you are in a low power mode. In the podcast, Rubin explains that one of her team members told her that she would be on hibernation for a few weeks after the baby was born. Rubin understood what that meant – it would be available, but on a limited basis. Of course, there are times when you might want to disconnect completely, and that’s okay too. But as Rubin explains, completely disconnecting from the network can make life difficult for some people. The hibernation visualization can help you remember that you sometimes need to lower the intensity and that the setting is temporary.