Last weekend, March 3-4 was Global Day of Unplugging (#GDU2023). People across many countries stepped away from tech with the aim of elevating human connection.
This year I decided to join in and unplug from all electronics and found the experience quite eye opening.
What did I learn, unplugging last weekend?
- Prepare in advance. I went into this with a relaxed 'I got this! How hard can it be?' approach. Yet in the first few hours alone, I found myself reaching for my phone several times, to look up a lunch recipe online, listen to my go-to podcast while hanging the washing, check the weather, just to name a few.
- Let others know what you are doing. I came back to my phone 24 hours later to discover I'd received 138 messages!!! Granted, quite a few were from my mum saying she was worried and asking why she hadn't heard from me.
- Make it difficult to fall into old habits. Turning off the phone and actually putting in a drawer, out of sights, was a good way for me to really switch off.
Overall, this was an interesting experiment for me, and I found a lot of enjoyment once I really let go! I discovered recipes I'd long forgotten about in an abandoned recipe book, had wonderful conversations about how the tech break was beneficial and generally felt more present with my family. Most importantly, I found extra time in my day which was priceless!
Taking a Mini Me Moment
While technology has moved forward in leaps and bounds in support of our wellbeing (think meditation apps, fitness trackers and happiness games), one can argue it has also become an unhealthy stimulus for many. Let's face it, we have all been there. Remember spending hours watching cat-videos instead of finishing that project?
Platforms like insta and facebook allow us to be virtually hyper-connected. Every interaction, every 'like', every comment and time spent scrolling releases a dopamine surge. In other words, a brain chemical that creates feelings of pleasure and reward. Large amounts of dopamine hits can result in addiction. Yikes!!!
(Interested to read more? Read this).
It's beneficial to take a break every now and again from our devices. You can unplug for 1 hour, 24 hours or even a whole weekend and take a much deserved Me Moment. Is this something you have done before? What did you notice? Tell us about your experience by responding to this email or commenting in our FB Community under the post Global Day of Unplugging. We look forward to your thoughts.