Our lives and worlds have become so technology driven that it’s great to take time to unplug and ground yourself from time to time. Today begins the National Day of Unplugging… The challenge is from Sundown to Sundown this Friday-Saturday (March 1-2). This is the 4th annual NDU and I’ve participated 1 or 2 times before. I appreciate the effort that others will be making on a national scale to live in the moment, practice mindfulness, make conscious choices, spend time with people we love and doing what we love.
I’ll be up to my elbows in plants all day Saturday so I don’t anticipate I’ll be missing my technology much. Here’s what some others have pledged to do while they are unplugged.
There are so many great things you can do with your time in just one day if you set aside the distraction of technology and allow yourself the luxury of some undivided attention. Here are a few suggestions:
- Start some seeds for your garden
- Read a book
- Organize your kitchen, clean out your pantry and fridge
- Fix something that’s broken! Mend it, glue it, tape it, DO IT!
- Enjoy a hobby like sewing, knitting etc…while listening to some music (I don’t think that the radio or CD’s count-maybe to you music is out though)
- Take a drive in the country with a picnic and a camera
- De-clutter-anywhere/everywhere!
- Sort/purge the papers you NEVER use in your file cabinet
- Take a long walk, hike or bike ride
- Relax and spoil yourself with spa treatments (at home or elsewhere)
- Cook/bake for and entertain someone you love
- Play board games or cards
- Fly a kite, hang glide or catch some air somewhere
- Meditate, do yoga…just BE!
Here’s what you should “NOT” be doing if you have taken the pledge: hanging out on Twitter, Instagram, Yelp, 4 Square, email, computer, cell phone, text messaging, TV…basically anything digital! You will probably want to “prepare” to unplug by keeping track of missed calls etc and setting aside some time to return the important one’s on Sunday or Monday.
I hope you will join me (if not today…just try it any day!). It feels great to take a break and be free from technology from time to time, don’t you agree?