Friday, August 16, 2013

Reset Button

Each year, I like to take one week and turn off the digital noise in my life.  I like to commit to not using a smartphone, computer, iPad and the like for the whole week (but the phone's the biggest culprit).  No screens besides the occasional TV.  

Just the fact that I have to make a pledge to do something like this shows how bad it is.  I find myself becoming more and more addicted to these things - a perpetual upswing until I decide to do something about it.  I always know it's bad when I can't stop at a red light without immediately picking up my phone.  Or sit down on the couch without checking it.  Or feel naked when I've left it at home.  Or force myself to leave it in my bag when we are waiting on food or something and I really want to be present with my family.

Honestly, I don't have anything that important or exciting on my phone.  I don't have work emails.  I don't get many emails that actually matter.  I don't have a business or an important blog or anything of the sort that requires it's usage.  


I find myself constantly refreshing facebookinstagramtwitteretc to the point of fatigue, but my fingers itch to do it.  I know it's bad when it becomes a need.

So, I've found these little week-long breaks really help curb that.  I come back feeling ambivalence, even antipathy towards the digital world.  I'm curious what the "world" has been up to, but frankly I don't want to have to catch up. And yes, my addiction creeps back up slowly as the weeks go on, but this week is a nice refresh, a reset button on priorities.  

It's also a chance to really engage with real life. 

See you next week, digital world! (maybe)

1 comment:

  1. Woohoo! Is it weird I look forward to these posts because it officially marks the beginning of vacation?! See you tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete

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