Summer brings annual calls to put away your digital toys and screens while you’re at the beach on vacation with your family, but my contention is that’s not often enough. I feel the need to take a weekly digital holiday to quiet my brain more often, and I suspect you may too.
The Case for Quieting Your Brain
There are a lot of health reasons to take a time-out on the digital world: text neck, disrupted sleep, dissatisfaction with life, even brain damage — all symptoms of a digital lifestyle. While there’s widespread recognition of the need for very young children to spend more time interacting with caring adults than with screens, less attention is paid to the impact of extensive digital time on the psychic and mental capabilities of adults.
Unplugging for Vacation
If you’re worried about going ‘cold turkey,’ techno-free vacations and retreats offer an easy way to give unplugging a try. Many yoga and meditation resorts require guests to check their devices at the door, and there are even Digital Detox Retreats offered now in exotic locations around the world. For a little practice, there’s also a National Day of Unplugging each year in March.
Weekly Digital Holiday
But my contention is that a vacation here or there is not enough. So for a number of years now, I have practiced a weekly digital holiday. Computer, tablet, and TV are turned off. Although I carry my phone in case of an emergency, I only answer it if called and there’s no casual app use. I aim for a 24-hour screen-free span each weekend, and as often as possible, 48 hours is my goal. For me, late Saturday afternoon until Sunday afternoon works best, but on a good week if I’m caught up I can start Friday evening. Here a few tips that have helped me:
- At first you may need to alert family, friends and if need be, business colleagues so no one reports you missing.
- If family and friends are willing to join you in a digital holiday, it can be great fun to make a game of unplugging together. (Teens may not be willing.)
- Plan ahead to make sure you have print outs of recipes or physical maps before you head out on a bike ride, kayak trip or start a cooking marathon. (I hadn’t realized how dependent I’d become on digital field guides and maps.)
- Carry a small book or just enjoy people watching so you don’t casually check your phone while waiting in line,
- Visit your local public library. Read, read, read.
- Try some new music.
- Write (longhand, on paper).
If you have other tips you’ve found helpful, I’d love to hear about them.
———- photo credit: cc via flickr: Moyan Brenn