By Cheryl Mattox Berry
While killing time at an airport newsstand, I ran across a magazine article about author Baratunde Thurston unplugging from the Internet for 25 days. The “world’s most connected man,” a label bestowed upon him by friends, got burned out and decided to shut it down.
I did a Google search and found quite a few people who have taken a vacation from social media. Like Thurston, they became overwhelmed trying to keep up with all their connections. Social media grew into this thing that was obtrusive, time-consuming and interfered with real relationships.
If you find yourself spending more time on social media than you do talking to people eyeball-to-eyeball, it’s time to unplug and re-establish your priorities. Trust me, you’re not going to miss anything important.
Many of us managed to get through our teen years without Facebook, Twitter and e-mail. Miraculously, we got the latest gossip, word about who was having a party and celebrity sightings. The method of communication: telephone. Granted, we didn’t get info in one click, but it got passed along in a timely manner.
Are you overdue for a digital detox? If 25 days seem too long, start with week. Tell friends and family what you’re planning to do and enlist their help. Allow yourself some phone time so you won’t be completely out of touch but not so much that it replaces the time you spent on the Internet.
Decide how you’ll spend the week. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Read for fun.
2. Play board games with siblings.
3. Make popcorn, invite friends over and watch the whole season of a hit TV show.
4. Find a hobby.
5. Create new playlists.
6. Clean out the closet and bag old clothes for donations.
7. Start a fitness routine.
8. Select an activity to do with your mom and dad.
9. Spend time with grandma.
10. Get your stuff ready for start of the new school year.
Unplugging gives you a chance to reconnect with people around you. They’ll be surprised to see you interacting with them and will enjoy the face time. When you go back to the Internet, manage your time on social media. Don’t let it consume your life. Take a vacation when you start feeling stressed out. You can stay away long as you like or disappear forever.