Unplugged: Reflections on the Internet Break.

A week ago I decided to go on a mini internet fast.  

Natural Habitat.

At this point I thought that I would have life changing thoughts about how liberating it was to finally break free from the zombie box, but I found that it wasn't as earth shattering as I anticipated.

I found that I could actually do it quite well. I thought I'd get bored this week - but I didn't, ever. The only times I missed the internet was when I had one of those "oh, what movie was that guy in" moments and couldn't get the answer 2 minutes later.

It was sort of great to remember all the stuff that I used to love to do before it became my go-to plan to see what's up online. Walks, games, music, movies, drawing, conversations - all that stuff that makes us feel connected in the day-to-day that we don't do when silently staring at a screen for hours.

The magic that springs from closing the
computer and breaking out the markers

And all the stuff I suspected would happen did too; I slept better, I felt happier, I did more. I thought it was going to be scary to give myself a strict 'no internet' rule, but the whole thing was just really damn pleasant. I think committing to it was the toughest part-making the decision to actively choose something to do instead of just filling the time. I guess I thought I had forgotten how to do it, but really, it was just all waiting for me get offline.  I can't believe I didn't just do this sooner.

Shut down, walk away and there is a whole world of things waiting for you.