This past week my husband took a week off work, a whole week. If you know my husband at all and how incredibly hard he works..all the time, you know what a big deal this is. The even bigger deal is that he didn’t answer his phone, his email or any work related texts. In fact, he barely even looked at his phone or iPad (except to read) all week. Impressed?
Absolutely!
And I told him so. And after I finished telling how impressed I was with his total ability to unplug, he asked me if I’d ever be able to do the same.
Um…what?!
No internet, no texting, no checking sales numbers, no…nothing?!
He of course didn’t think I could do it. And I’ll be honest, I also was pretty skeptic with my own abilities to totally detach from the online world. But, if there’s anything I like, it’s a challenge. So…Friday night, I posted the following Facebook status
I turned off my wireless, powered down my phone and went to bed.
24 hours? Piece of cake.
So how did I do? Well…I did it. There really wasn’t any question that I would. Seriously, give me a challenge…I dare you.
But, I’ll be totally honest and tell you that there were a few times that I was very tempted to give in. What I realized from this little experiment is that, sure, I can do it. But I really didn’t like it. And that for me is the problem.
Clearly, I’m WAY too plugged in and that’s not good. 
On my unplug day, there was one thing in particular that caught my attention. Every single time I passed by the spot where I keep my phone plugged in, I stopped to check it. Of course on Saturday it was turned off so there was nothing to check, but on a normal day there’s always something to read or respond to and I was shocked at just how often I looked at my phone.
As the day went on, I couldn’t help but wonder what was waiting for me in my inbox. Was there something major I was missing? What if I got that life changing email that I absolutely needed to respond to? What if someone was texting me some vital piece of information that I absolutely had to read?
Turns out, none of that happened. Of course it didn’t and after my twenty-four hours of being unplugged was up and I logged in again, it struck me. Most of that stuff could wait. I don’t really have to tend to every little ding and beep as they come in, do I?
As it turns out…no, I don’t.
So did I learn something from my day of pulling the plug? Of course. I learned that I really didn’t like the feeling of being out of touch but that there is definitely room for improvement in the way I handle my technology and I am going to make a conscious effort to ignore my phone and all the little noises that it makes, a little more often. I may not want to unplug completely, but I do recognize that it’s okay to step back.
What do you think? Are you too plugged in? Do you think you could totally unplug?
Elena, you know I’m unplugged a lot more than I’d like. The reality is, there’s nothing so urgent it can’t wait. What I dread is the in-box overflowing. I spend about 15 minutes each time I re-plugged just tossing unopenned emails. It’s not that I don’t want to see what they have to say, but in order to find the important stuff, I need to discard the fluff. The process really makes a person prioritize.
Nancy, I sometimes wonder if being forced to unplug the way you are, is a better way. The daily sort is a good idea. Maybe I should just pretend I live on a sailboat…
I am on Day 16 of Project Inbox Nirvana. I clear my inbox day. I only have two files for emails: processed and action needed. This has saved me so much time on the computer…which doesn’t really answer your question.
Okay, I have to look into this Nirvana. Cleaning the inbox will help. But now if I can only detach myself from the iPhone…
You should read Steven Pressfield’s Turning Pro. He talks about the distractions writers deal with and allow to enter their work time. He says it’s the difference between being a Pro or an Amateur. I’m definitely still an amateur but I’m working on it. I have a terrible time unplugging even for a half day. All those messages just PULL at you! When I’m writing, I have to turn off the internet or I’ll never get any writing done. I love Leanne’s two email files and I’m definitely going to use that strategy. I always have about 30 emails leftover that I couldn’t get to and it’s an uncomfortable feeling. With two files, they’ll be where they need to be when I’m ready. Thanks, Leanne! And thanks, Elena, for another reminder to be professional!
Even though I’m published, according to Steven Pressfield I’ll bet I’m still an amateur. I have unplugged for almost two weeks, but ended up in the hospital at the end. Not because I unplugged, but because I had to be that sick to completely unplug. Did I enjoy the experience? Um, no. Do I think I belong to far too many social and list groups. Yes. Will I change? Guess I need to read Steven’s book to discover what I could be doing differently. I’m always looking for ways to be more efficient, but shiny objects tend to distract me, so…. All I can do is live and learn.
I used be way too connected due to work. Two cell phones, a laptop and a broadband card…and I was ALWAYS plugged in. The only timeI was able to shut down all but one cell phone was on vacation. I used to look forward to that time…it was the only time I felt like my time was my own and that I truly got to decompress. I’m finding that doing this on a regular basis has rejuvenated my mind and gotten my creative juices flowing again. It doesn’t feel natural, but it’s worth it.
I have a hard time being unplugged Elena. but I did more ofit in July than ever before. thx for the reminder.
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