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1923

Abstract

dule my day without devices three weeks in advance, but March 28th was the only day I had available for the entire month. However, I found myself looking forward to this day, almost like a vacation.</p><p id="bf14">I started planning activities for the day and working hard to catch up on my work and side hustles. My 24 hours without screens were shaping up to be epic, or at least it was for me.</p><h1 id="e1cc">Here’s what I discovered during my day without devices:</h1><h2 id="72f5">No music is a problem</h2><p id="5a3c">I don’t own a CD player, cassette player, or record player. I found an old iPod, but I still can’t tell you where I put the power cord. It’s been years since I’ve used it, plus it’s a device with a screen, a non-starter considering the parameters of the detox.</p><p id="ff54">However, no music is a problem because I need it, not like food, shelter, or clothing, but for my spirit. I listen to it every day. It never crossed my mind how much I relied on music to get through my days. It has a way of setting the tone for me.</p><p id="14ee">If I’m working out, my music is high energy motivation. When I’m cleaning, it’s soothing and encouraging. I think you get my point about my affinity for tunes.</p><p id="28be">I ended up singing along to songs in my head and occasionally out loud. I also had the urge to look up record players but didn’t because, no screens.</p><h2 id="5f22">Chores aren’t so bad</h2><p id="f644">When you spend most of your downtime watching TV, streaming content, or playing video games and they’re no longer an option, you want things to do with your time.</p><p id="4c01">Like a lot of people, I’d been putting off a few tasks around the house for ages, and my opportunity to tick a few things off my to-do list was a perfect way to spend a few hours.</p><p id="6484">I managed to do a load of laundry, break down shipping boxes and recycle them, clean out my overf

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lowing bookshelf, and tackle my kitchen as well.</p><p id="9b2e">At the end of my day, I felt accomplished as I looked around my clean apartment and completed ‘to-do’ list.</p><h2 id="80e3">Uninterrupted thoughts</h2><p id="f6fb">I must say, my favorite aspect of not using any devices was the fluidity of my thoughts. Sometimes I find myself working on a task, and I’ll get distracted by an email notification, a text, or a random urge to look something up, which in turn leads me in a different direction, taking me away from what I was initially working on.</p><p id="4463">The entire day, I had all kinds of random thoughts. It was amusing at times, but I was able to stick with these intellectual moments uninterrupted.</p><p id="f073">I also got some productive brainstorming done for current projects and new projects.</p><p id="07f1">I wrote with pen and paper and didn’t stop and start because of interruptions. All of my attention was on the page in front of me. I never lost my train of thought, and I engaged in deeper thinking for more extended periods.</p><p id="6d21">The following day, I turned my phone and computer back on. I discovered I had a few missed messages, but there were no emergencies during my mini respite. I’m also impressed with how re-energized I felt the following day.</p><p id="d90d">I hit the ground running after having a day cut off from the digital world to reflect on the direction I wanted to head over the next few weeks. It’s easy to go about your life, never realizing the problem of being so accessible.</p><p id="70eb">I find peace when I disconnect from the busy environment around me and reconnect with myself. This small no-screen challenge made me recognize I should plan more days like this to maintain my creative edge and nurture my mental health.</p><p id="2ebd">Now, I challenge you to find a day this month to unplug and reconnect with yourself.</p></article></body>

24 Hours, Zero Screen Time

How a day without devices reset and re-energized me.

A few weeks ago, while participating in my daily mediation on the Calm app, the narrator suggested the idea of taking a day off from devices. Anything with a screen was a no-go. She said to think of this day as a reset and monitor the benefits.

I spent the entirety of 2020 off social media, so I understood how this concept of a day without screens could be pretty powerful to creatives. Being back on social media and using my computer and phone daily has been jarring to my equilibrium and creative well-being.

I decided to investigate the perks of taking a day away from technology and came across this article, Five Reasons to Take a Break from Screens. Present moment awareness and productivity were two highlighted components that further convinced me to make time for my miniature detox.

The first step I took was finding a day to disconnect. This task proved harder than I thought it’d be. Since last year, I’ve been working remotely and use my computer to get my work done. Thus, weekdays got eliminated from the running. Next, I had to find a weekend where I didn’t have anything scheduled and wouldn’t be needed.

I think it’s sad I had to schedule my day without devices three weeks in advance, but March 28th was the only day I had available for the entire month. However, I found myself looking forward to this day, almost like a vacation.

I started planning activities for the day and working hard to catch up on my work and side hustles. My 24 hours without screens were shaping up to be epic, or at least it was for me.

Here’s what I discovered during my day without devices:

No music is a problem

I don’t own a CD player, cassette player, or record player. I found an old iPod, but I still can’t tell you where I put the power cord. It’s been years since I’ve used it, plus it’s a device with a screen, a non-starter considering the parameters of the detox.

However, no music is a problem because I need it, not like food, shelter, or clothing, but for my spirit. I listen to it every day. It never crossed my mind how much I relied on music to get through my days. It has a way of setting the tone for me.

If I’m working out, my music is high energy motivation. When I’m cleaning, it’s soothing and encouraging. I think you get my point about my affinity for tunes.

I ended up singing along to songs in my head and occasionally out loud. I also had the urge to look up record players but didn’t because, no screens.

Chores aren’t so bad

When you spend most of your downtime watching TV, streaming content, or playing video games and they’re no longer an option, you want things to do with your time.

Like a lot of people, I’d been putting off a few tasks around the house for ages, and my opportunity to tick a few things off my to-do list was a perfect way to spend a few hours.

I managed to do a load of laundry, break down shipping boxes and recycle them, clean out my overflowing bookshelf, and tackle my kitchen as well.

At the end of my day, I felt accomplished as I looked around my clean apartment and completed ‘to-do’ list.

Uninterrupted thoughts

I must say, my favorite aspect of not using any devices was the fluidity of my thoughts. Sometimes I find myself working on a task, and I’ll get distracted by an email notification, a text, or a random urge to look something up, which in turn leads me in a different direction, taking me away from what I was initially working on.

The entire day, I had all kinds of random thoughts. It was amusing at times, but I was able to stick with these intellectual moments uninterrupted.

I also got some productive brainstorming done for current projects and new projects.

I wrote with pen and paper and didn’t stop and start because of interruptions. All of my attention was on the page in front of me. I never lost my train of thought, and I engaged in deeper thinking for more extended periods.

The following day, I turned my phone and computer back on. I discovered I had a few missed messages, but there were no emergencies during my mini respite. I’m also impressed with how re-energized I felt the following day.

I hit the ground running after having a day cut off from the digital world to reflect on the direction I wanted to head over the next few weeks. It’s easy to go about your life, never realizing the problem of being so accessible.

I find peace when I disconnect from the busy environment around me and reconnect with myself. This small no-screen challenge made me recognize I should plan more days like this to maintain my creative edge and nurture my mental health.

Now, I challenge you to find a day this month to unplug and reconnect with yourself.