Before you freak out, remember that it’s just one day of your life. It’s going to be hard. It’s gonna feel odd and then kind of refreshing and then absolutely delightful. You’ll likely go through that entire pattern of emotions, even if you try this exercise more than once, so be prepared. Also, keep it simple. You don’t need to spend five thousand hours to fly to a remote spa where there’s no Wi-Fi or modern electricity. Just put your devices in a basket or another room, leave them alone, and shut off the devices around you for twenty-four hours. (Yes, checking Facebook counts.)
Think back to a couple of decades ago. All sorts of regular activities—driving the car, listening to music, pondering a question, exercising—were things people just did. I don’t mean to sound like a Luddite longing for the good old days. I definitely argued with my mom every night for permission to dial up my AOL Instant Messenger. But I also spent a lot of time hanging out with my sisters, racing around our backyard, going to gymnastics, practicing piano, and sitting on the kitchen counter.
Technology has incredible power to connect and inform and streamline, which is amazing. But technology can also become addictive, too, and it’s worth taking a full day once in a while to unplug to realize that fact.
TRY THIS
If the idea of unplugging for a full day freaks you out, start with unplugging during a specific event. Enjoy a cup of coffee without mindlessly browsing on your phone. Eat dinner with a friend and actually focus on him the entire time instead of updating your status. Go outside instead of opening your computer, or skip automatically turning on the TV the second you get home. An easy question to ask yourself is this: “Do I need my phone/computer/TV right now?” If the answer is no, do something else. Over time those little moments of unplugging will add up, and you’ll recognize when you turn to a screen out of a habit versus when you’re making a deliberate choice.