Join Me for the Global Day of Unplugging
This Friday-Saturday, let's collectively take a break
This week’s post is sponsored by Yoto, a screen-free way for kids to independently listen to stories, music, podcasts, and more, with audio players specifically designed for children and families. For more info on Yoto, keep reading. (And to learn about my philosophy toward sponsored posts, click here.)
Friends:
This Friday-Saturday (March 6-7) marks one of my favorite events of the year: The Global Day of Unplugging.
The Global Day of Unplugging, which happens each year during the first weekend in March, is an opportunity to intentionally take a break from screens and devices and reconnect with real life.
I highly encourage you to try it!
You can take a break on your own; you can take a break with friends or family. You can take the plunge and commit to a full 24 hours, or you can experiment for a few hours and see how it goes. Take your pick, and then just . . . do it. I promise that you won’t regret it.
Why Unplug?
I’m guessing that if you subscribe to this newsletter or have read my books, you’ve already heard me talk about the negative effects that our relationships with our devices can have on our attention spans, memories, relationships, creativity, productivity, and mental and physical health — and how these effects are far more dramatic for kids, whose brains are not yet fully developed.
So today, I want to focus instead on the good (and fun!) that can come from unplugging — for adults, for kids, and for families. And I also want to share some practical strategies for how to turn smaller moments of unplugging into part of your personal or family routine.
The Rewards of Unplugging
The fundamental challenge that we’re up against, when it comes to tech, is that no matter how much we might like to think that we can multitask, our brains can only pay attention to one thing at a time. That means if we want to have fulfilling experiences, create memories, and feel connected to the people we care about the most, we need to guard our attention like a precious resource (because it is one!).
This is extremely difficult to do, given that so many of our apps have been specifically designed to distract us and steal our attention from us, literally from right beneath our noses. But if you get into the habit of taking regular breaks, you may be amazed by how many opportunities for new experiences and moments of connection and fun present themselves to you. All you need to do us look up.
How to Take a Break
Whether you’re taking a break on your own or with your family — and whether you participate in the official Global Day of Unplugging or do it on your own — here are some suggestions for how to make your break a success.
Beforehand:
Decide how long you want to take a break. It could be as little as an hour, or as long as an entire day.
Choose what you’re going to disconnect from. I personally recommend trying to take a from all screen-based devices at least once, including your television, just to see what it’s like. But you can do what feels achievable and appealing to you — the point is simply to experiment and be intentional.
Identify why you’re unplugging. Is it to spend more time with loved ones? Is it to reconnect with an interest or hobby? Is it to spend time in nature? Is it to create quiet space for reflection? In other words, what do you want to pay attention to?
Invite others — including your family — to join you. (Pro tip: if you have kids or teens, encourage them to invite their friends to join in.)
Prepare:
You’re likely to be anxious (and to experience FOMO), so take a few minutes to make a plan.
Preparation ideas for adults:
Get a small notebook/pad of paper so that you can jot down the fifty million things your brain is going to tell you that you have to do or buy the moment you put down your phone.
Tell your friends/colleagues/loved ones that you’re taking a break and will be slower to respond than normal.
Make a backup plan for any emergencies that might arise. (Note: an emergency is highly unlikely, but I know that your brain is going to get anxious/push back about this, so make a plan, if for no other reason than to quell your anxiety.)
Make a plan for what to do with your reclaimed time. The Global Day of Unplugging crew has a list of suggested activities; I also suggest making your own personal or family list of ideas for fun things to do that don’t involve screens.
Preparation Ideas for Kids:
Make it fun. Your kids are going to complain a lot less about putting away their screens if they know they have something fun to look forward to. Brainstorm some fun things they’d like to do during the break — with you, on their own, or with their friends — and then make a plan. (Definitely do not use the tech break as a time to get your kids to help with chores unless you want to encourage a mutiny.)
Provide supplies. For example, if your kids love arts and crafts, create an art station and give them permission to make a mess. (See above about making it fun!)
Provide alternatives. If your kids loves video games, offer the opportunity to play a game in real life — for example, sports with friends, an escape room, or a visit to an arcade or skate park. If they complain that unplugging will leave them feeling disconnected them from their friends, encourage them to invite some friends over for an unplugged sleepover.
Yoto: Screen-Free Audio Players Designed for Kids
As I mentioned above, Yoto makes audio players that give kids access to a world of stories, music, and more, without a smartphone or tablet.
Yoto players use physical cards called Yoto cards that are similar in concept to a cassette or CD. There are more than more than 1200 Yoto cards to choose from, featuring everything from audiobooks to songs to activities, including Winnie the Pooh, Harry Potter, The Beatles, Paw Patrol, and more. Families can also use blank Make Your Own cards to create unique recordings or playlists of their favorite music (a particularly useful feature for the Global Day of Unplugging and/or family dance parties!). Also, unlike many of today’s toys and smart home devices, Yoto doesn’t have a camera, microphone, or ads.
During:
At the appointed time (I suggest dinnertime on Friday) turn off your phone and any other devices you’re taking a break from and do something to mark the transition, like light a candle.
Don’t freak out if you—or your kids or spouse—get anxious and twitchy. That’s totally normal. Stick with it, though, and you may be surprised by how quickly your anxiety is replaced by a feeling of calm. In fact, you may be amazed by how enjoyable and transformative the experience is.
Do one of the activities from your list! After all, the point of taking a break isn’t to restrict yourself. It’s to create space for real life experiences, interactions, and fun.
After
Take a few minutes to reflect on the experience, whether on your own or with others. What was the hardest part? What was the best part? What was easier than you’d feared? What did taking a break make you wonder? What did it make you think? What would you like to do or try in the future?
But don’t take my word for it. . . .
I know that the idea of disconnecting can feel intimidating, but I promise you that it will be worth it. Here’s an experience shared with me by a past participant.
I was nervous about the digital Sabbath at first, but I thought to myself, "What's the worst that could happen?" Maybe I would feel bored for a while - I can handle that for one day. So I decided to try it. I went whole hog - no phone, no computers, no TV, not even a Kindle. I planned activities for my down time that I was actually looking forward to. I turned off all notifications on my Garmin. And...it ended up being no big deal at all. The time went WAY faster than expected because I was so engaged with other things, and at the end, I was kind of sad I didn't get to continue the experiment. I remember this moment of total liberation where I realized, "My phone doesn't get to dictate what I do today." I just want more of that feeling. Based on my experience I plan to implement this every Sunday, and maybe work up to the entire weekend. —Christy
So take a deep breath and give it a go — and I’ll check in with you about your experiences next week!
To scrolling less, living more, and taking a break every once and a while,
Yoto is the best!
That bit about the Global Day of Unplugging. I love the idea of reconnecting with real life, but the thought of 24 hours without my phone feels like signing up for a mini vacation in the wilderness. I might get the shakes from withdrawal, but hey, if I can survive family board game night, I can survive anything. Just don’t expect me to transform into a zen master overnight.