Weekly Spirituality Tip: Take a break from technology for an entire day or a few hours each day.

This week I want you to focus on Take a break from technology for an entire day this week or even a few hours each day.

When I sat down to write this morning I thought that today was going to be the all day tech break, day for me. The internet was down and I panicked for a second when I realized that this tech break had been forced upon me. Then I remembered that all I was doing today was writing. So a break from the outside world of tech would have been a welcome stretch of silence. Especially because today happens to be a rainy spring day, my favorite type of day for hunkering down or cozying up (depending on your mood) and writing, journaling and sometimes reading a physical book all day long in sounds and the dim light of the rain. It truly would have been a welcome picturesque break from technology.

By developing the habit of taking a break from technology for a few hours each day this week, you are giving yourself a chance to breathe and your mind the chance to think for itself. This practice will give you quiet in the busy, always moving digital world we live in. It can be as simple as leaving your phone at home, or if you can’t bear to be parted, put your phone in airplane mode or turn it off.

I have a hard time putting down my phone, not picking it up when it plays a notification sound, and not carrying it with me. It’s incredibly hard because I use my phone as a secondary device for my work on the go. But, it can be done, and you’ve taken the first step by reading this Weekly Spirituality Tip.

For a few hours a day, unplug your internet and put your phone in airplane mode and enjoy the silence and the clearing of digital clutter, I’m talking about all of those notifications, mindless scrolling, and incessant email refreshing.

…the habit of taking a break from technology for a few hours each day this week, gives you a chance to breathe & your mind the chance to think for itself.

jenny Proczko

Things To Remember:

1. The world will still be there when you turn the internet back on.
2. You aren’t missing anything truly important by going offline.
3. You deserve this break from technology clutter.
4. Your mental health and stability are more important than staying continuously connected the internet.
5. It will feel weird and stressful at first, but that’s okay. 

Where I truly find quiet, is when I detach myself from my phone and computer while camping for a few days. Its an amazing feeling to be in nature and not have to worry about charging my device, answering emails, keeping up with social media, taking calls, responding to texts and other messages. Sadly we can’t all go camping just to get away from technology any time we need it. But what I have found that works for me is blocking anything that is not work related on my devices.

On my computer, my browser loads a page every time I open it that has short cuts to only the programs and webpages I need for work. I use the chrome browser and have the following app short cuts: Pocket, Google Keep, Feedly, Evernote, Trello, Google Drive, Memo (for taking notes offline), Do It Tomorrow (my to do list that syncs to my phone), and Google Calendar. On my phone I have a folder for work that has the same apps as my Chrome browser on my computer. I also “force stop” or sometimes even uninstall apps on my phone so I don’t get constant notifications. After all of that, I put my phone in airplane mode so I’m not getting any notifications. After I’ve done that, I either leave my phone alone or work offline with only the apps in my work folder.

Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss my spirituality tip for next week. Read last week’s tip: turning off the overly LOGICAL VOICE in your head.

What do you do to take a break from technology?

Read my 7 Mantras To Help You Take A Technology Break over here.