The challenge put forth by organizers of the annual National Day of Unplugging seemed easy enough: Do you have the willpower to unplug and unwind without electronics for a full 24 hours?
I stumbled upon the National Day of Unplugging late last Friday afternoon as I was looking for inspiration for this blog post. For me to say I like a good challenge would be an understatement. Plus, I really needed a topic for a post so I accepted the challenge.
Like for many, planned vacations are really the only time I come close to unplugging from electronic distractions. But even then, while I may not be checking my phone for work email or monitoring feeds for the latest breaking news, I’m checking personal email and constantly scanning Facebook for the latest updates from friends and family.
On the weekends, I check my personal and work email accounts eight to 10 times a day. Add to that the time I spend checking Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and a host of other apps, and I’m on my smartphone, tablet or laptop a good portion of the day. I don’t always respond to work emails, but I like to keep an eye on things just to make sure nothing is exploding or requires immediate attention. With PR, there is an expectation, perhaps more self-imposed, that you are available 24/7. Breaking news and crises wait for no one and you have to be ready to act swiftly when necessary. Plus, seeing what awaits in my inbox makes the transition from weekend to Monday much smoother.
So what did I do for 24 hours without my mobile appendages?
- I went on a walk with a friend (hastily scheduled before my 24-hour electronics fast) and even took off my Fitbit activity tracker.
- Rather than draw culinary inspiration from the dozens of recipes I’ve saved on Pinterest or from one of the nine food/recipe apps on my tablet, I turned to my many cookbooks gathering dust in the kitchen.
- I got lost in a book and read the newspaper, savoring the feel of the paper and the smell of the ink. I even caught up on last Sunday’s New York Times, which sat atop a pile of other barely touched Sunday editions. Reading the actual newspaper gave me a greater appreciation for the journalists and staff who produce them. As newsrooms continue to shrink and circulation numbers dwindle, I felt compelled to support the industry that we as PR people rely on so heavily for success, so I renewed my home delivery subscriptions to the Seattle Times and the New York Times (after I was able to plug back in).
- I worried that I was missing something urgent for work or with friends.
All in all, I lasted 23 hours and 50 minutes. I had to make one exception to my no-electronics rule to find an email containing information for a friend’s father’s memorial service, which I did look for first in the obituaries section of the newspaper. In my book, supporting friends wins over austerity almost every time.
Now in its fifth year, the National Day of Unplugging starts at sundown on the first Friday in March. In a field like PR it is difficult to completely unplug without a little pre-planning to lessen one’s angst, but I’m planning to observe National Day of Unplugging again to remind me of the distractions that keep me from connecting with my environment and my community.
Could you live without your smartphone, tablet, laptop or any other electronic device for 24 hours?