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Digital-Free Hours. It’s Not About ‘Why’, It’s About ‘How’ and ‘In What Frequency’

To Embrace a Better Human Life

‘If we do it right, we might actually be able to evolve a form of work that taps into our uniquely human capabilities and restores our humanity. The ultimate paradox is that this technology may become the powerful catalyst that we need to reclaim our humanity.’

— John Hagel, founder of Deloitte Center for the Edge

It is not a wonder that we, humans, are more connected than ever before. Social media, internet connectivity, hand-held devices, and other virtually-present options are making it difficult for us not to be connected with the world.

Connectivity is excellent, as you are learning from the world, and you are unimaginably contributing to the world. The reach of our voices and activities have moved beyond our imagination.

But what sort of connectivity?

We are connecting with the world outside. But somehow, I felt we are dying out inside. Too much of anything is bad, and I’m feeling this through the burn-out effect during this pandemic time.

I’m connected more and more with my family members outside Canada, and I am glad that the interactions have increased. I am reaching out to more and more people in Medium, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram and learning every day. I’m discovering my previously lost interest in my new-found passion.

But somehow, I am feeling exhausted, being always connected, being always hustling, being always looking for improvement in productivity. And then I realized finally, why do I need rest-hours from digital media.

The reasons are listed below.

· Always looking forward to the news, information, and connection makes you anxious.

· I have to keep the connection from one digital device to another. I have to engage in office-work from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm (while continually looking into the laptop), afterward conduct my writing in Medium and then make some posting in different groups in social media (Facebook and Twitter).

· After these serial sagas, my eyes want to take rest, but my mind craves for more as the day is yet to pass by. So, my hand reaches out to the TV-remote to watch something on Netflix or YouTube.

And after these long awaking hours, I go to sleep only to find myself up at 5.00 am on the next day, without a night of proper sleep in a tired body.

‘I visualize a time when we will be to robots what dogs are to humans, and I am rooting for the machines.’- Claude Shannon

And what are the negative impacts that are taking a toll over me?

My anxiety level went up; my sleep level got negatively impacted, I’ve much less time to connect in-person with my spouse, I’ve much less time to eat or do other kinds of stuff that I love.

We all require Digital rest ness. Many people have realized the importance, but during this pandemic time, most of us are facing difficulty in maintaining it on a healthy level as our digital connectivity has increased two-fold or three-fold.

Do you agree that I require to take digital rest (meaning, I should minimize my time on media and digital connection)? If so, the next part is my planning on how frequently to conduct it.

So, the next part is ‘how’ to execute the digital-free hours and in ‘what frequency’. I am taking the following approach from June 2020 to at-least try out to see the results.

· On the working days, I will take a complete 4 hours digital free time after my office hours. I will use the media or television watch time only for an hour at best on those five days.

· In one of the work-days in each week (Wednesday), I will do a complete DIGITAL REST ness after the office hours.

· On the weekends, I’m going to use any media (social media, television watching, etc.) for 5 hours a day at maximum.

· My cell-phone will be kept away during office hours, and after office hours, I will check the emails and relevant other platforms (Medium) for a quick 15 minutes to check whether everything is in order. If not, I will wait till the ‘restricted 4 hours’ to finish first. I have found that the other things (lock your phone, main features hide-of, disable social media function, etc.) do not work for me at all.

· We (my partner and me) will be conducting phone-free dinners for the whole month, for sure.

· After 10.15 pm, our phones will be on flight-mood and out of our reach from the beds.

· I have already removed unnecessary applications from my phone and keeping other social media into one folder for keeping those out of sight.

· And, most importantly, in the new-found hours, I will engage myself on essential aspects of my life- like spending more time with my family members, do some walk, explore another book, etc.

I believe these practices might help me understand the distorted reality and to transform me into a better social being. The distractions should be less once I start practicing this routine regularly. I will probably have a more connected family time than ever before. I will probably feel more focused and should at least have a good night’s sleep.

What do you say?

I will share the update after one month by practicing these formulated rules. Please wish me luck.

If you have loved the content, you might consider look into the following on a completely different aspect of technology, curated under ‘Education’ sector.