Joe,
Good for you! Leaving the phone behind once you do it...is the most liberating thing of our current time..especially for a well connected business owner. Now, take the next step and leave it behind when you are with friends and family. The more you do it the easier and becomes...and guess what...no one really cares! We have becomes so reliant and dependent on constant feeds from this wonderful tool, that we forget that we are actually in the middle of a life that consist of way more than a business. To your point, can shop owners truly unplug? The answer is yes, with small steps like this, it becomes the gateway to healthy boundaries. So if you say you can't, try it. Test it. What is the worst that will happen? I tell you this..it will help you identify where you need to focus to start living your life and enjoying the right now. Funny thing is, I'm sitting here on my front porch listening to a rain storm...plugged in! Dammit!! Ok, I'm going out with friends for dinner and punting the phone!