Week 1 Revelations

Just like I desperately needed a dietary detox last month, my eagerness and excitement to embark on this month's Lent have lead me to believe that this technology detox is exactly what I needed right now. It's been such a relief to have an excuse (I don't know why I think I need an excuse to do these things) to limit my media consumption and I can honestly say that I felt a huge weight lift almost instantly after I started.

A Few of My Week 1 Technology Detox Revelations

1. Contrary to my previous belief, only checking my email twice a day is plenty—maybe even more than enough. The only thing I'm missing out on by skipping those other 12 emails checks is staying up to date on all of the various newsletters that I subscribe to, and not being able to respond instantly to emails that don't require an instant response.

2. I feel like my day is just that now—my day. Every time you check your phone, or email, or Facebook, you're leasing out a little bit of your time to someone else, whether it be to that random person from high school whose status update you're reading, or a company whose only intention is to sell you things you probably don't even want in the first place. Time is the most precious resource we have and we should all be more wise in choosing whom we give ours away to.

3. No technology after 10 has been tough (mainly because I often work night shifts), but when you limit your tech time at night, something magical happens: you go to sleep much earlier. No TV + No Computer = In bed by 10 and asleep by 11 = Awesome.

My tech time for the morning is running out though, so I'm off to spend an analog afternoon doing things like going for a run, reading, taking a drive out to the beach, and of course, eating some jellybeans.


Amen to the end of Lent...