Time to UNPLUG!

On the last night of my family vacation, my husband and I commented on how relaxed we were; how well behaved our daughter had been; and how nice it was to have adult-to-adult conversation. Reluctantly, we acknowledged that this state of euphoria, while partially induced by the beach, was heavily credited to our commitment to "unplug" for the week!

At the beginning of the vacation, we made the decision to turn off our iPhones and we  left the iPad and laptops at home. We didn't do an awesome job. We found ourselves reaching for Facebook updates or to play a game; (we allowed the phones to be used for googling local information/phone numbers and playing music) However, our commitment created a consciousness. We held each other accountable and became present in our vacation; truly leaving the rest of the world behind. So much so, that when we got home we committed to continue the unplug. Here is how we did it - and how you can to

First of all, lets just say that this has not been easy. We have both slipped. But as you read on, you will see that we have seen the benefits too.

To start with, we had to define what "being unplugged" looks like for our family. In a 2012 commencement speech at Boston University, Google chairman Eric Schmidt suggested unplugging for at least one hour a day. Since one of the effects we desired was conversation with our daughter, who is not quite old enough to be a technology user herself; we took a more drastic approach: from the time our daughter gets off the bus in the afternoon to the time she goes to bed we don't use iPhones (non-business related calls are allowed - have to order the pizza somehow!), iPads or computers. No "last minute check of email" or Facebook updates. This is, generally speaking, a 3-4 hour threshold of time. Yikes!

Once we committed, we learned that we needed to "tell" our phones of our plans. Phones are "programmed" to bombard you throughout the day. From app notifications, to texts, emails, alarms, beeps, bells, whistles...even if the phone is in the other room, it has the ability to interrupt your life. Here are a couple of tips

Get to know the Do Not Disturb feature of your phone - whether it shuts the phone off, or just puts it into sleep mode, this feature is a heaven sent! All notifications will still come through, but your phone will not light up, buzz, beep, or even acknowledge the notification. On the iPhone, you can set this feature to turn on and off at certain hours. In 2012 Unplug and Reconnect introduced  an android app that lets you schedule similar breaks; taking it a step further. You can tell the app to respond to text messages automatically: "I am unplugged right now - be back to you shortly"

Turn Off Push Notifications - the reality is that you don't need to see an email the second it comes in; the fact that your mom liked your new Facebook profile picture is not a news stopping event; your best friend re-tweeting your tweet about traffic can wait; and (as is the biggest buzzer in our house) MLB at BAT doesn't really need to tell you that the game starts in 10 minutes! Push notifications are just, well, pushy. They demand your immediate attention and interrupt your day. Consider turning them all off and I would boldly say, turn them off for ALL times, not just when you are unplugging. By doing this, your day is not interrupted over and over again. Many smart phones have features that allow notifications only from certain apps and/or certain people (i.e. text messages from you spouse and kids, but not everyone!)Added bonus to turning off notifications: increased battery life!

Be upfront with family, clients and colleagues - If your phone rings at any hour of the day from your mom, you biggest client, or your boss, it may be time to share with them your plans. Let them know that there is a certain time each day that you and your family "unplug" I personally have found that clients cut back on calling, or will send an email v.s. a text.

Even with a "cooperating" phone, it still is not easy. The phone is right there! "I'll just check quick!" Consider moving phones and technology to one room...away from the family. If your docking station is in the kitchen...find it a new home. 

In our house it is the office. We "park" the phones, turn off the computers, and, on nights were we are really struggling, close the door.  

So, what's the benefit? We've all heard or read the studies. Employers see better performance in their employees who unplug. Families that unplug and sit down and have conversations at the table are healthy, less likely to be overweight and happier; etc, etc. - but is the real upside that an average American family has felt? Here is our upside:

1. Better family time at dinners - my husband will frequently sit and chat with me while I cook dinner and our daughter plays. (time that he previoulsy would be on his smart phone for) We are able to talk about our day, before we sit down as a family. Since we've had that time, we easily refocus our attention to the total family during dinner. Everyone chats, shares their days. Our daughter behaves better, interrupts less, and everyone is happy

2. More family fun - that time between dinner and bedtime can be tough. Not wanting to just flip on the TV, we have taken up family game nights, gone to the park for walks/bike rides or just "hung out"

3. Better focus and awareness of time during my work day - Since I work out of the home, work can seep into "non-work" hours easily. Previously, when I got my daughter off the bus, she would go to the TV and me back to work. This caused dinner to be pushed later and stress to escalate. Now, with a commitment to be done before the bus arrives; I have become more focused, more aware of my schedule and, best of all, more efficient.

4. Less end of week pile up around the house - this one was unexpected, but now that we are not looking at the phone, we are looking at the house. Laundry is getting put away, floors swept, bathrooms wiped down. This has made the Saturday morning cleaning frenzy much more enjoyable!

5. Heightened awareness during other times - when we are out as a family, we put the phones in our pockets and stay present to the moment. 

If you decide to join us in a less plugged in life, leave me a comment and let me know how it goes!