I love technology and computing and have since college.
But I take breaks from it. Everyone should have an unplugging practice, every day, every week, every month, every year.
I don’t do social media or videos a half hour before bed. I have a large plot for a community garden that I tend. I hide out in my favorite sushi restaurant once a month with a book or mag (they still exist!). And we do a road trip at least once a year, because we actually love road trips. Little to no screentime in the car (between data overage and only so much disk space)–we fill the time with comedy or reading or music or sleep.
Disconnecting is crucial to actually hearing your own voice. Maybe even processing the things you’ve consumed and make something of it. Or just having the silence to have original thoughts. Or letting go of thoughts. Either way, it is important.
But it’s not just the unplugging that is important.
The discipline of forcing yourself to unplug is important for your psyche too. Because if you just cannot unplug, that my friend, is addiction. And if that’s the case, there’s on shame in asking for help.
But if you are not there, before you get to that point, give yourself the habit of unplugging. Work on it. Do what works for you, but give yourself a break from screens.