So, last week I was reminded (thank Shan!) that I hadn’t done a follow up post about my technology break (original video here if you missed it).
So, the weekend before last, I switched off my laptop on Friday night and didn’t switch it back on until Monday morning. Yes, I went a whole 60 hours without Google, Facebook, blogs, e-mail, Twitter and all those other wonderful things. Here’s 6 results of that techno-break:
It broke my obsession with SongPop on Facebook! I still play it, but that couple of days off broke my “need” to play it every 5 minutes. It also loosened my obsession with Candy Crush on Facebook…perhaps my week away in December will break that obsession? Having just a couple of days away from games breaks that connection with them that makes you want to play and play and play.
When I came ‘off’ my technology break and switched the laptop back on, I didn’t want to spend 10 hours a day on it – even after 9 days of ‘normal’ laptop use, I still don’t want to spend too much time on the computer. Taking the time out makes you realise that being attached at the fingertips to your keyboard is not the ideal way to spend your days! When you take the time away, you get some clarity about how much you want to be plugged in, rather than just unconsciously staying plugged in for hours on end.
After 60 hours of freedom from the incessant stream of information, I felt mentally relaxed for the first time in months. One day off technology a week is not enough to give you that mental relaxation. With 24 hour tv, radio and internet, the brain gets bombarded with information, which it cannot hope to process! Too Much Information is a modern brain disease, and one that can be easily healed by switching off!
I got some “real world” stuff done! With so much time spent in a virtual reality, the “real world” stuff can just gather dust, waiting for a few minutes of attention. It was so nice to have more time to potter about the house, to go out and see friends, to enjoy the physical world for a while!
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I had more time. A whole 16 hours a day, without any looking at the clock and thinking ‘huh, where did the last 5 hours go?!’ T’internet steals time from you – games and searches and lovely blogs and facebook and twitter and before you know it, an entire day has gone and you have no recollection of what you were doing on that t’internet for so long.
Taking time offline gives you back a sense of time freedom.
Perhaps the most important result of my techno-break was a desire to do it more often. Over the past 6 months, I had got into the habit of having at least ONE day a week off the laptop…but never two. And I am often still piddling about on my laptop at 9 at night. No more. I am implementing a curfew – 8.30 at night (although my plan is to stop any ‘work stuff’ at 6 and the rest will be personal internet time…and the curfew time will get earlier over the coming months). And I plan to have AT LEAST one weekend off every month. It doesn’t sound like much, even to me, but I’m going to go with what I know I can actually do at the moment, and work up from there – hopefully to switching the laptop on at the weekend being a rarity rather than the norm.
There were many other things (resting my hands and wrists for example), but the above 6 results were the most significant for me (and writing this makes me realise how sad it is that the top result was breaking my attachment to a game. Hmm.) Taking time away from technology is becoming a necessity – with every gadget that makes it easier to stay connected, it is getting harder to disconnect! So give it some thought – what technology do you need to break the lure of? Your mind, your body, your physical world, your friends and family will thank you for it!
– Something to Play With –
How much time do you spend online? Do you feel it is ‘too much’? Are you obsessed with Twitter, Facebook, SongPop, Candy Crush? Decide how long you will take OFF technology – make it time that is doable, easy and soon! And let me know what your ‘top 6’ results are! Want to share your thoughts on this article? Please leave a comment below.
Love
Donna.x
Comments
8 responses to “OnTheBeach: My Techno-Break”
Lol – great reason to catch up late Gigi!!! xxx
I’m reading your post a bit late because, inspired by your previous post, I’ve been scaling back my time online :).
Thank you!
Ooh, that’s a lovely way to do it Corie – spend more time doing things you love instead. Yummy! x
I haven’t taken a solid few days yet, but it sounds lovely! I have been cutting down the time I’m at the computer by increasing the time I’m spending painting and writing. Its funny to realize how long its been since I’ve played any of the games that I spent soooo much time puttering with just a few months ago!
Actually Shan, I meant to thank you because without your reminder, I wouldn’t have thought about the results of the tech-break, I’d just have done it and forgotten about it – because I sat and thought about it, it bedded down the learning and reinforced how important it is for me to take regular tech breaks! Thank you so much for that! Let me know how your weaning off goes! x
Such powerful stuff coming from a technology vacation, Donna. I love that you did it with so much intention and that it resulted in so many benefits for you.
I spend far too much time on the computer myself. It’s difficult not to when you work for two people from your own home office and are trying to get your own business off the ground, but your post has reinforced that my downtime should be about quality and that for me means getting outside and spending more time connected to the land.
I’m going to follow your lead and start taking small steps to wean myself off my tech fix every day. First thing in the morning before starting work I’m going to eat my breakfast on my back porch overlooking the yard and the birds that come to visit and contemplating the beautiful world we live in as opposed to reading my email while I eat.
Glorious downtime – even the idea of it inspires me!
Wonderful to know how yours went – thanks for sharing
Lol Sue – I love that this article has made you think about trying something new! Let me know how it goes if you try an intentional break! x
Wow, Donna, you inspire me. I have never (how embarrassing!) taken an intentional break from the interwebs. Only when I’ve traveled somewhere that doesn’t provide a signal, and that reluctantly!
I am now doing some serious thinking about this.
Thank you for your powerful words!
Love and blessings,
Sue