Unplugging To Plug In, So Worth It
/Have you ever wondered what it’s like to unplug from our super connected world? Well, I just got back from 9 days of being unplugged and I have to tell you that it was pretty incredible. I love wifi as much as the next person, but I have to say that getting some true down time was even more restful that I could have imagined.
I really try to make an effort to get down time throughout my “regular” schedule and some days are definitely easier than others. However, it has been 11 years since I have been completely disconnected for more than a day here or there. Prior to 2004, it was during the 90’s when wifi wasn’t a part of our world as of yet. So, it was definitely an adjustment as you can imagine.
Here’s what I found out while being unplugged:
- The Days Last Longer
- It Takes A Day or Two For the Wifi Anxiety to Leave the Building
- When You Power Down You Power Up
- Disconnecting Creates More Connectivity
- You Feel More Like Yourself
The Days Last Longer:
This one, I really didn’t anticipate to be honest. But, it makes sense when you think about it. If time is relative and you aren’t constantly being shown a time stamp when you check an email, post something, or answer text messages, it makes sense that you can expand time by being in the moment. Think about a time when you were camping or you didn’t have very great service; you may have noticed that you got more bang for your buck that day. When you have more than one day of this experience you really begin to notice how much we are impacted by clocks. I found that I could actually get more done when I wasn’t constantly trying to beat the clock and I felt more balanced too.
It Takes A Day or Two For the Wifi Anxiety to Leave the Building:
I didn’t really think that this one would be an issue for me because I make a concerted effort to get disconnected throughout the day, but nope I was wrong. This one wasn’t fun for me, it felt very ingratiating and annoying to be honest. However, after that initial unwinding happened I felt completely relaxed and my whole body felt gentle and calm. I was surprised that it took a day or two for all of the energies to move along but once they did it was well worth it.
When You Power Down You Power Up
I noticed that I had a lot more energy while being disconnected.
I also noticed, especially in the beginning that I was constantly waiting for someone or something to interrupt me. Constantly feeling like you have to be prepared takes a lot of energy, so letting that go felt incredible.
Disconnecting Creates More Connectivity
While disconnected I noticed that I felt more connected to myself, the people and places around me and to the messages that I was receiving. Because there was no way to be electronically interrupted it was so easy to remain present and in the moment.
You Feel More Like Yourself
This one felt like a total win win because I had already received so many other benefits. But, yes, I absolutely felt more like myself and I felt light, free, and completely at ease. I also noticed that I was laughing a lot while being unplugged. (Honestly, I laugh a lot even when I am in 4G wifi zones so I was surprised by this a little bit.) The thing that really stood out to me about this one was that I literally felt like any residue that had built up from being connected had cleared away and what was left was 100% me. I felt like a little kid again.
All in all, this disconnect and time travel back to the 90’s was a really positive experience. Now that I am back in the grid, I am trying to make some physical shifts so that I can make disconnect time a more regular part of my life. Don’t get me wrong, I love the ability to be connected, but I really love the ability to disconnect too. I think it’s really about finding and creating balance around connectivity. I remember when the internet came into our homes and classrooms and I remember what it was like before being plugged in. I think that it’s really easy to stay plugged in and to forget about how we lived in the 90’s (and before). I think taking a little break from being plugged in is great and I plan on doing it more often.
You don’t have to go to a remote location to unplug. You can simply disconnect your Wifi and leave your phone and computer out of sight and out of mind. Power down with a friend or a family member, or call a “black out” weekend at your house. Even taking half a day away can work wonders. Give it a try and see how you feel.
Do you know someone who could use a little down time and would be inspired by this idea of powering down to power up? Forward this message over to them so they can get some extra support. We could all use a little support and a little more down time now and then, don’t you think?