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On any given day, you catch me juggling upwards of five screens at once. That typically consists of a phone screen, two laptop screens, a tablet, and a TV.
I usually don’t mean to use all of these items simultaneously, but I end up checking and using them all due to the power of habit.
Of course, I’m only giving a fraction of my attention to each screen, and I often step away from my screen spread, feeling frazzled and exhausted.
Searching for a solution, I stumbled across numerous accounts of people who felt just as overwhelmed by technology as I did and decided to unplug as a way to regain control.
To say that the notion of taking a break from my devices made me nervous is an understatement.
But, through trial and error, I figured out that it was possible to take a pause even though I initially thought that I couldn’t.
After devoting so much time to technology every day, I decided that enough was enough. I scheduled a weekend without screens of any kind, and shockingly I felt a weight lifted off of my shoulders pretty quickly.
I rediscovered hours of free time and instantly reduced stress without the burden of email, weekend work, social media, TV shows, notifications, and alerts.
Keep reading to find out how you can have a tech-free weekend, even if you think you can’t.
Most of us spend our lives entrenched in technology daily. We frequently deal with technology, whether we’re sitting behind a computer screen at work or staring at our phones.
As a result of our tech-centric lives, it can be easy to forget what it’s like (gasp!) without technology.
There is evidence from multiple sources that taking time away from screens can yield results like improved personal relationships, increased mindfulness, and enhanced sleep quality.
No matter your level of tech usage, spending a weekend without technology is possible to achieve and generate many benefits.
Having a weekend without devices doesn’t have to be difficult and can be pretty simple if you take the proper steps. Read on for tips on how to achieve tech-free weekend bliss.
There’s nothing worse than starting your weekend with the nagging feeling of leaving incomplete tasks behind. Planning is your best friend if you know that you want to have a tech-free weekend. Planning means that you’ll be able to finish up any projects (or at least find a good stopping place) to allow yourself to have a work and tech-free weekend.
One of the most common reasons people feel like they can’t be tech-free is accessibility to others. Most people feel like they need to be available to friends and family at all times or don’t want to be unreachable in case of an emergency. Barring legit emergencies and unusual occurrences, in most cases, it would be fine for you to be temporarily unavailable for a weekend.
One way to reinforce this with your circle is to notify anyone who needs to know of your weekend whereabouts that you’ll be unplugging.
Quick – think of five things that you can do without technology! If you’re like most people, you’re struggling to come up with three activities, much less five. To avoid sitting on your sofa and twiddling your thumbs when it’s time for your technology-free weekend, plan your time thoughtfully.
Yay, you’ve successfully made arrangements to be tech-free for a weekend! You may be surprised at how you feel when you’re not checking your phone every 9.3 seconds. Now it’s time for you to settle into the feeling of being without your devices and be mindful of your tech-free time.
A tech-free weekend can give you the reset and recharge you need to set up your week for success. It also just plain feels good after spending countless hours stuck behind devices. When done right, it’s not challenging to reduce your tech overwhelm and rediscover the simple joys of life. The help of specific steps and a solid plan can make a tech-free weekend a foregone conclusion.
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