The setting
Attending a cottage birthday party in the Cotswolds (UK). This was a good opportunity to fully live in the moment, and use my technology as little as possible. I have been trying to have 20-30 mins of pre-bed digital downtime a night. This event was a way to extend this practice. But could I do it, and would I be able to encourage others to join me?
It turned out that geography and lack of network coverage were in my favour. Almost no one had phone signal and the only wi-fi was in a separate part of the complex.
Our beautiful ‘cottage’ for the weekend!
What it was like
After posting my seventh Live Your Legend Challenge blog post on the slow WiFi, I was able to switch off from the world, and it was amazing. No one was checking their phones, posting to FB, or looking at email. This changed the atmosphere and dynamic of the party for the better. Phones were mainly in bedrooms, without signal or with dead batteries. Occasionally one was used as a camera.
I also relished the media black out the lack of phone signal created and we were certainly too busy and having too much fun to turn on a TV! We were in our own wonderful world for 72 hours with food, friends, activities, music, dancing and catching up.
Walking in the Cotswolds
It’s not often this happens. Time without distractions of the past, future, or other places, was very liberating.
When could you give yourself digital downtime?
Maybe just a couple of hours, a day or a whole weekend? Try 20-30 minutes of digital downtime before bed. It has been shown to help your brain get into a slower pace for sleep, and could help your mind stop racing when it’s meant to be dreaming.
Update November 2019
Recently Mr LGD and I have started a joint practice of putting our phones on “do not disturb” and other devices away at 21:30 on week days. We plan this into our days schedule and help each other remember as accountability partners. After 21:30 we do non digital activities eg; tidy up, read, crochet, get our bags / lunch ready for the next day.
Note; Top Image credit The MinimalistsÂ
2 Comments
Lourdes Garcia
May I suggest those struggling with digital downtime consider purchasing a not-so-smart phone -got mine from some nice crooks in Wood Green high street five years ago… bargain!- to be used as appropriate?
GreenDuckie
Lol – thats certainly one way of doing it 🙂