Today is the Global Day of Unplugging

Join me! (Here's how.)

Hello, everyone — 

Well it’s the first day of March, which means it’s the official end of the February Phone Breakup Challenge. (Here’s the archive of what we’ve done, in case you want to look back on any of it.) I hope you’ve found it useful. And if you feel like you still have a way to go — or if you’re finding yourself with more questions than you had before we opened this can of worms — don’t worry: I have a lot more to say about the subject of phones and screen/life balance, and will be returning to it regularly in the future. In other words, while it’s no longer February, this is not the end.

In fact, today is an opportunity to put what we’ve been talking about into practice.

It’s the Global Day of Unplugging

The Global Day of Unplugging, which is always held over the first weekend in March, is an opportunity to reset your brain—and your relationship with your devices—by taking a break from technology and (this is important) using the time to reconnect with people and experiences in real life.

Photo by Lukasz Szmigiel on Unsplash

How to Participate:

• 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. (For example, I recommend taking a break from all devices, including your television, but you can do what feels right to you.)

• 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?

• Invite others to join you.

• Make a plan for what to do with your reclaimed time. (The Global Day of Unplugging crew has a list of suggested activities, as well as a map where people have posted actual events that they’re organizing.)

• Prepare yourself. You’re likely to be anxious (and to experience FOMO), so take a few minutes to make a plan. Here are a few ideas:

  • Set an automatic text message response saying that you won’t be checking texts

  • 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/loved ones/make a backup plan for any emergencies (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)

  • Print out directions if you’re driving somewhere new

• At the appointed time (might I suggest 5pm tonight?) turn your phone (and other devices) and do something to mark the transition, like light a candle.

• Don’t freak out if you get anxious and twitchy. That’s withdrawal. Notice it without trying to fight back. You may be surprised that if you stick with it, the anxiety will be replaced by a feeling of calm. In fact, you may be amazed by how enjoyable and transformative the experience is.

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But don’t take my word for it: listen to Christy.

Christy is a Fun Squad member who’s been implementing her own Day of Unplugging — which she calls a Day of Presence — for the past couple weeks and she gave me permission to share this description of her experience:

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 has indeed continued to implement her Day of Presence every Sunday, and wrote an inspirational follow-up, which I’ll include below.

For now, enjoy some time unplugged, tell us about it in the comments — and I’ll see you next week.

To scrolling less and living more,

Catherine

PS: A quick reminder/invitation to Fun Squad members to keep asking questions and participating in the Phone Breakup Forum—I read them all, and will respond personally to each one. (We’ll switch back over to our more general Fun Squad forum next week.)

PPS: If you want to take this practice further, I highly recommend Tiffany Shlain’s book about her own digital Sabbath practice with her family 24/6 — it’s excellent.)

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More from Christy:

I suspected Day of Presence would have a positive impact, but I did not realize how quickly it would transform my life. It's just that, when you're sitting around doing nothing, you start to think about what you *want* to do with all your newfound time. I decided I wanted to spend more time outdoors. A lot more time outdoors. And deepen my spiritual practice. And spend more time being present with my family.

It started with playing games together and going for walks, but I started reading 24/6 by Tiffany Shlain and realized it could be so much more. So I got up the courage on Sunday to attend a Zen temple service, something I haven't done in over twenty years. Being inside that sacred space away from the rest of the world was immediate and profound, and they were so welcoming, yet so demanding nothing (I have social anxiety, not feeling the pressure of social expectations is a BIG deal).

I have definitely found my community and I cannot WAIT to go back. So I spent the weekend literally in quiet contemplation. Then after temple I ate lunch with my family and then we went for a walk in the park. I had so much fun playing with my son. I told my husband, we have to go hiking regularly as a family, and he agreed. I realized it's been years, decades maybe, since I've really, truly rested. I feel so profoundly rested on Sunday that I don't even bother to go back online until Monday morning. And it doesn't stop there. Today we decided to reserve a community garden space this summer and grow some vegetables! I have zero gardening experience. But I want my son to have that experience. So we are going to learn how to do it as a family. And all that is the result of just three Sundays without screens.