These days, most of us are tethered to our devices. Whether for work or play, we’re constantly checking our email and social media accounts. We use them as a way to connect on a multitude of levels.

But despite being more “connected” than ever, our devices also make us disconnected—from the task at hand, from being in the present moment, from those physically around us.

From my own experience, there have been times when I’ve gotten distracted from my work by a Facebook notification. I’d allow myself a quick minute to check out what was shared, and before I realized, 30 minutes had disappeared with nothing really being accomplished. It can be even worse if I have:

  • Facebook open;
  • Skype running;
  • multiple email programs signed into and sending notifications; and
  • text messages pinging.

All of these pings and dings get pushed to my desktop computer, laptop, tablet, phone, and even my watch.

It’s not easy to escape!

Whether I’m forced to unplug when it’s time to sleep, or I intentionally want to be “left alone” virtually, I’m still connected. My phone still vibrates away on my nightstand when my buddies start a late-night Facebook group chat. And if I were to risk turning my phone off completely, I’d feel paranoid that I might miss something important.

What if there was an emergency? How would anyone get in touch with me to let me know if I turn everything off?

Smartphones have intrinsically meshed our “phones” with our computers, and it’s hard to separate the two.

We have become slaves to our devices, so much so that some people are bravely saying “enough is enough.” They are pulling the plug—for the short or long term—and voluntarily going through a digital detox! More and more, I’m starting to think there is a lot of merit in this idea.

I want to be able to focus. I want to have a conversation with a person who is sitting across from me, and I want to have that conversation without digital interruptions. Maybe it’s time to silence the cacophony of pings and dings. And while I know I probably can’t do it for good, I bet I could do it for a little while, and I bet I’d love it, too.

What about you? Do you believe there is value in digitally detoxing? Do you sometimes find all the pings and dings to be a nuisance? What ideas do you have for giving a digital detox a try?

Amanda MiliAmanda Mili
Your Business, By Design
Serving the U.S. and Canada
email: [email protected]
website: www.amandamili.com

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