Monday, December 30, 2013

Unplugging for 2014

This is something that has been brewing in my mind for the past few weeks and it is beginning to take shape. I’ve decided that I want to unplug from technology for a bit. Since the New Year is upon us, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try this. I certainly know I am not the first to try or the first to make a thing of this. In fact, I have discovered that there is even a National Day for Unplugging (http://nationaldayofunplugging.com/) which will be on March 7th this year. Sign me up!

I really don’t want to make a big scene about this endeavor either. Because it is simply about me – not my social network, not the one person who might read this blog – me. However, I do want to capture my unfiltered thoughts and emotions about it to reflect on in the future. And I would like to recruit some people to try it out with me. So, I’ve decided to blog about it, which I know is a little ironic.

The New Year is the time to reflect on the past year and what you want for the coming year. What better way to do so than to reconnect with your family, your friends and your thoughts by unplugging from the very thing that distracts you from that the most?! There are a lot of great things that technology has brought us; I am not here to argue against that. I just realize how captivated I have become by it and I am a little annoyed with myself about it.

So, here’s the deal. These are the parameters that I have decided to set up for myself:

I have decided to try this for 7 days, which I think will be challenging enough to make worth it. I won’t be able to unplug 100% because all of my work is done on the computer. So, as far as work goes, I will only use my computer, internet and e-mail when expressly necessary to accomplish work. This means, that I will turn off my messenger and will eliminate any personal e-mails or electronic communication that can be done via telephone instead. Other than work, I will not use a computer. That means absolutely no computer or electronic games. I have decided that telephone and radio is allowed, but that means radio in the car and telephone to have actual conversations with people. As far as my iPhone, I plane to turn it on Airplane mode and will only use it as a phone – no games, no texting, no e-mail, no Apps at all. I’ve decided that also includes the camera on my phone. I may allow myself to use my actual camera though, if I can even find it, lol. And lastly, I have also decided to give up television. That may be the hardest thing, especially if my hubby doesn’t decide to try this with me. Since I am not the only person in my house, if the television does get turned on, I will try to be true to my goal here and otherwise engage myself.

I don’t feel that I have set arbitrary boundaries. All of this is nothing short of how I lived my life as a child, except the no TV thing. I feel like I will be able to enrich my life and my relationships, even in an arbitrary 7 day period. I want to unplug to reconnect. So, this all starts at midnight on New Year’s Eve, which means no wishing happy New Years on Facebook and no selfies of ringing in the New Year. I’m ready for it!

If you want to join me, even if it’s for a day or if you have different rules and boundaries you’d like to set, please let me know. There’s strength in numbers you know?!
"Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain." -Vivian Greene
"Success is not final, Failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." -Sir Winston Churchill