A digital detox

It is truly freeing to unplug yourself from your many digital tethers.

I don't mean the stressful, unplanned times when you can't get a network connection, but rather those opportunities you seize to intentionally disconnect.

When was the last time you:

• left your cell at home (or just turned it off for a week or more)?
• avoided wifi hotspots instead of seeking them out?
• set out-of-office voicemail and email notifications without obsessively checking messages anyhow?
• logged out of social media sites for an extended period of time?
• let your tablet collect dust?

Can't recall? Do give it a try!

I recently freed myself from all my electronic obligations, interests and addictions. Truth be told, it was a temporary break, but it was for longer than I've attempted since the mid-1990s.

I didn't go cold turkey all at once. I eased into it by weaning myself from Facebook and my personal sites. Then, I withdrew from my work-related digital tools.

I even discontinued my blog for a couple of weeks, but that wasn't a true hiatus, because I continued to write my random ramblings in my moleskin notebook. I'll just gradually transfer those entries to my blog in the coming month or so.

What did I learn or accomplish during my digital dry-spell?

1. I reconnected with my hubby. 
2. I cleared my multitasked-to-the-point-of-ineffectiveness brain. 
3. I realized it's time to reprioritize many things. 
4. I confirmed that given a choice, I'm going to opt to read print books over anything on a digital screen. 
5. I sat quietly with nothing other than my own thoughts. 
6. I cannot get enough of the beauty of nature. 
7. I found time to listen, explore, snorkel, nap, dine leisurely, drive, sail, hike, stroll, observe, talk, try new activities, read (see #4) and relax.
8.  I didn't miss posting status updates, but I did feel out of the loop for not having seen tweets, pics and posts from other important people in my life. 
9. I discovered that to survive a digital detox I must have the following three items on hand: a digital camera, a pen and some paper. 
10. Sixteen years is far too long for me to wait for my next digital detox.

Plan to temporarily shed those digital tethers and you'll find your very own reasons why unplugging is

       AWESOME!!!