You go to a restaurant, across from you is a couple (of any age), they are both face down in their cell phones and you think, “I don’t ever want to be like that”...before returning to the scroll on your own screen.
OR
You are so upset with your child and/or significant other because their face is always on the phone, that you return to your never ending need for Pinterest research.
OR
You reach down for the phone for the 15th time to “check it”, knowing darn well you just “checked it” five minutes ago (and your notification sound never even went off).
Whether you have ever been in one of the above situations or one of countless other scenarios, one must agree that we have become a society dependent on our mobile device...guilty as charged! I’m breaking out in hives just at the thought of this challenge, let alone it’s execution. But here it is...today, we turn off our cell phones.
Now before you hang up, close out or send me hate mail, please remember, I am your friend. We are in this together and yes, I think it totally sucks, but I also think it’s important to find balance with ANYTHING that even acts like it has control over me. I’m bigger than this phone, it shouldn’t be the boss of me...or you. Besides the “addiction” factor, here are six other reasons it is healthy to unplug every now and then:
Give your brain a break - What would happen if we went just one hour NOT thinking about our missed text messages?
Get happy - Facebook envy is a real thing and interestingly, I am both a victim and an accomplice. Social media is like an iceberg people, only the pretty part sticks up out of the water. Not to mention, we have got to stop measuring our value by likes and hearts.
Soak up the quiet time - My phone makes this horrible “knock knock” sound with every text message. This was done strategically, so I never missed a text from my children. Now, my phone just sits creating its own choir of “knock, knocks”, Snapchat sounds and Messenger dings. It’s like a technology rainforest going off in my purse!
Build your "off-screen" relationships - Life is happening all around us, while our face is in our screen. What really cool moment did we miss in our own life because we were too busy reacting to a picture of moment in someone else’s?
Get some sleep - Besides the whole blue screen thing, we spend time on our phones when we should be resting. This is NOT setting us up for success here people.
Reduce stress - Five minutes scrolling through Facebook will have you tripping about our president, animal cruelty, gender equality and what to make for dinner all at the same time. Put it down, man, breathe...
I mean doesn’t the fact that this already seems so hard prove that it must be an important gesture towards becoming a better version of ourselves. Our parents didn’t have this problem, I mean even our old school banana berries got put on the charger the moment we got home from work. Let’s get a little retro...try just turning it off during your favorite show, a family meal, a walk in the woods...or like me, for just an hour of uninterrupted keyboard time.
However you choose to start, I think we can all agree that this is something we desperately need to be more aware of, more intentional about and set a better example with then our current situation. So, enjoy your hour, afternoon or entire day phone free...then come back and comment below with your best practices for learning to live a life unplugged!
**Mark your calendars for the National Day of Unplugging March 1-2, 2019 and let's join the world in enjoying a full 24 hour digital sabbath.**