It’s not uncommon to overhear virtually any conversation and hear the words Facebook, Instagram, Google, email, or text message. It is 2014, and billions of people across the globe are now virtually and digitally connected to one another and the world through the ease of technology. In many ways, this has been a great time-saver. (Or has it?) This new way of living has made keeping in touch with family and friends, managing businesses, and gathering information on the go a breeze. Many people wholeheartedly believe that life has been simplified by technology. And much like any of the modern conveniences that have come our way over the past 50 years, once you’ve joined the technological highway, you might wonder what you would ever do without it.
Of course, not all this digital media is always a Godsend. For many people, being connected is easy—but disconnecting is nearly impossible. In fact, doctors today are finding that people experience anxiety from internet outages, dead phones, or even the inability to log in to something as trivial as Facebook. This anxiety is affecting people of all ages and walks of life.
Then, conversely, there are the millions who bash and whine about society’s reliance on being constantly connected. We are now relearning how to take a walk in nature without our phones vibrating in our pockets. We are becoming less aware of what it means to be 100% present in the moment. We drive with technology, sit at the dinner table with it, check on things multiple times throughout the day via our digital world, and seemingly find extra minutes in days that already felt lacking in time—only to waste… er, spend them online. Connecting is easy. Disconnecting? Not so much.
Is Disconnecting Really That Difficult?
Perhaps one of the most ridiculous things about these new pushes for disconnecting from the digital world is that it’s actually easier than it looks. In fact, we haven’t found a single device so far that doesn’t come with an off or mute button. We haven’t found a drawer or place in the house where a cellphone can’t be turned off. We haven’t seen a scenario that couldn’t be carried out successfully even with a short lull in connectivity. Yet, so many people struggle with the off button. Whether it’s the TV, the iPhone, or the DVD player in the car, the distractions that keep us constantly on edge—jumping from one thing to another—enable us to multitask almost too efficiently. And all of these distractions can be turned off.
It’s not the devices themselves that make it difficult; it’s the new mindset that has taken root, where we feel we must have our noses in everything at once, lest we miss out. But miss out on what?
Chances are, you have a device of some sort. And chances are, your life is filled with beeps, tweets, whistles, and bings that keep you jumping. Ringtones beckon, and you must decide whether to finish a conversation or answer a text. In a study by Newsweek, 250 people ages 17–44 were placed in a waiting room with their devices and texted or emailed multiple times to see how many people could resist the urge to pick up their phone and check. With the exception of one woman whose phone was on silent and who had immersed herself in a book, every other person reacted immediately when their phone alerted them. It didn’t matter if they were in the midst of a conversation, emailing, or writing notes. They all took a few extra seconds to check their device.
One of the biggest problems, aside from the addiction factor, is that being constantly available and constantly tuned in leaves little time for the mind to rest and relax. It doesn’t allow for thoughts to be completed or for people to remember what it’s like to truly relax and escape the often stressful conditions of the world we live in. Sure, digital technology has made many things easier and less stressful. We can now track our teens and receive emails on the go—even when we’re not in the office. We can call people anytime we want or busy ourselves with status updates on Facebook. Information and entertainment are at our fingertips. And yet, this constant influx of information, knowledge, and media can lead to a lack of self-awareness and inner peace. After all, we are called “human beings,” not “human doings.” That in itself suggests that downtime and the ability to just be are likely fundamental needs for happiness.
Just remember, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, or as though the world you live in has incapacitated you or left you with little room for a break—there is an easy escape route. The off button. We shouldn’t have to wander to an INTERNET-FREE café (yes, that’s actually a new business model) or be forced to take a challenge to recapture our ability to disconnect—just by using a little button that says OFF! (If you don’t know where to find it, check your owner’s manual!) Taking an expensive island vacation where cellphones and the internet are not available isn’t your only option for disconnecting. You are still in control! And you just might find that a little disconnecting helps you reconnect with the people you love the most!