“Seriously, take a break. Step away from the screen.” This is the advice (admonition?) I received several times this week. I’ve had several marathon days of online committee work as part of our national Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly. Whenever we had a break, we were encouraged to step away completely from the computer and to stretch, go for a walk, eat something. In short, do anything entirely different from sitting down and looking at a screen.
In true zoom meeting fashion, all week I wore sneakers along with my professional attire so I could get up and walk the dog around the block any time we had a break. I even did some short work out videos to counteract so many sedentary hours.
Stepping away from the screen highlighted for me just how many of my hobbies or interests are on the screen. (Like writing these newsletters) Aside from walking, eating, and cleaning up, I had to get creative for non-screen activities. It makes me wish I did something like knitting that I could even take back to the zoom meeting with me to do while the meeting goes on.
Catherine Price recounts a similar experience in How to Break Up with Your Phone. She decided to periodically take a 24 hour tech sabbath. On one of these days while her child was napping, she realized she had nothing to do for fun. She didn’t really feel like reading. And, other than clean the house, she couldn’t think of anything else to do that was fun or engaging and not related to a screen. That’s when she realized she needed more fun in her life. So, she picked her guitar back up again. Now she meets regularly to play music with people: another great way to have unplugged fun with other people!
Apparently there’s a trend called Raw Dogging in which you go on a plane (or other long journey) without headphones, a book, or any other way of distracting oneself. I mean, I love daydreaming. But, I just really don’t know if I could do it. I guess that’s the point: treating a plane like a built in silent retreat – just you and your thoughts.
Summer is a great time to be off screen, especially when the tendency can be to do the reverse. So go ahead: walk around the block, take up knitting or just stare out the window for a little while. Reconnect with the sounds and activities going on around us that we might not notice. You never know what you might discover.
Thank you for reading Almost Named Grace with Frances Rosenau. This post is public so feel free to share it.
I love hearing from readers… replies to this email will be sent directly to me. Keep in touch!
~What I’m reading~
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Thank you for reading Almost Named Grace! Subscribe for free to receive new posts right in your inbox. Paid subscribers also receive monthly bonus content
I read all the Harry Potter novels when I was pregnant and couldn't concentrate on anything for too long. One of my children now reads them as a soother, whenever her head can't cope with the overload. Something familiar.
I don't know if you have ever come across Erin Boyle of reading my tealeaves but she has just co-authored a book called making things with Rose Pearlman which has many great ideas to make things that are easy to do with things we have around the house. Well worth diving into as alnon-screen time.
But please continue with your updates, I don't always manage to read them all but when I do, I always take something away with me. The series's on grief came at the right time having just gone through the loss of my brother-in-law, mother and brother all within 12 months. Love, D from EH
I love taking a plane for that reason, but I am usually reading. At least it's a break from anyone being able to contact me and work responsiblities I find walking without listening to anything can have that effect. Also, thanks for serving our denomination well in tedious yet important work!!!