We hear a lot about creating a digital detox, I feel personally targeted by the Brick ads on Instagram. Often, we struggle with execution. A digital detox doesn’t always mean completely disconnecting, but sometimes just finding the moments where it makes sense to start.
I’ve been taking a lot of unplugged walks lately. I don’t have any headphones in, and I stay off my phone (or don’t bring it with me if that’s a safe option). The unplugged walks started because one morning my headphones were dead. In all honesty, this happens more than I’d like to admit 😂. It quickly taught me a few different lessons and became an intentional part of my day.
We miss a lot when we are always “plugged in”. When we have a phone in our hands, headphones in, our heads down (which, be honest, is a lot of the time), we often miss so much more than we think.
Moments of Connection
I pass lots of people every day on my walks. And I always give a warm smile or nod, and sometimes a “good morning” or “hi” in passing. What I noticed was that when I didn’t have my headphones in, the moments of connection became longer and more intentional. The brief moments in passing became short conversations with my neighbors on their porch. Or the people down the street walking their dog, the couple on the park bench, the kiddo riding a bike past me. They might have been more open to a conversation because I didn’t have headphones in. Maybe I was starting the conversations more because there wasn’t noise in my ears. I’m not sure. I recognized that I left all of those conversations feeling more connected and present, and for that I’m grateful.
Moments Gratitude & Gentle Reminders
The biggest shock on my unplugged walks has been the small moments of joy I felt like I was missing with headphones in. I have noise-cancelling headphones. It’s a blessing in a lot of situations, but they also cancel out all the things that are proof of life. I end up missing all the beautiful moments happening around me. I took my headphones out, and I could hear dogs barking, trees moving in the wind, kids giggling in their backyard while playing with friends, a couple on their walk catching up about their day, parents laughing with their kids while they enjoy a sunset walk. It struck me how much we miss when we cancel out all the sound around us. It’s much easier to feel overwhelmed or consumed and “stuck” in your own thoughts if you don’t get those gentle reminders that there is a whole world around you! The “awe” moments help me zoom out. I feel more grounded and have greater perspective when I come back to the overwhelm.
Brain Breaks
On a more neurological level, unplugged walks are a really good break for your brain. We live in a world where we have constant access to news, music, ads, texts, calls, and social media posts. Your brain has to work hard to process new stimuli. When there is a constant flow of new information, it’s always working on overdrive. A “brain break” is a time where your brain isn’t trying to constantly process new stimuli. It allows your brain to organize information differently and explore new ideas. This often leads to bursts of creativity. It pours into more regulation for your nervous system. And it just gives you a minute to breathe, which we could all use more of.
The break from a constant flow of information has also been really helpful for increasing my attention span and my ability to be present. If the idea of going on an unplugged walk makes you want to crawl out of your skin – I hear you and I understand the feeling! But that might be an indicator that being unplugged and taking a break is exactly what your nervous system needs. Start with a short period of time being unplugged and slowly see if you can increase that over time. Notice how you feel before, during, and after. You might be surprised at what the unplugged time does for you!
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We look forward to connecting with you!
