Monday, August 6, 2018

Tip #7 for a Tech Healthy Summer: Spend Time Off the Grid



Nothing makes you realize how much you are used to something by its sudden absence. Technology is certainly one of these things we are used to having as a constant presence in our lives. For those of us who grew up prior to this connection (and interruption), extended time away from technology helps us recall they way things used to be. Technology is a powerful tool that has made our lives better, allows us to do more and be connected and communicate like never before possible. There are also some downsides to constant connection and the interruption by technology notifications attempting to gain our attention. 

One of my Top 10 Tips for a Tech Healthy Summer is to get off the grid and spend a few days or more tech free. Almost every summer I do that by taking a trip with my kids to the Minnesota Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA), a wilderness of forests and lakes on the northern Minnesota/Canadian where the only method of transportation is paddling canoes and hiking. Visitors to the BWCA pack all their gear in gigantic Duluth packs and like the French Voyagers from hundreds of years ago, paddle across the lakes, carrying their gear and canoes over land in between each lake on their route. There is no cell phone signal, no electricity or running water and very few people.

A couple of weeks ago my eighth-grade son and I went on a trip for three nights in this wilderness on Pine Lake and our time off the grid was great. This was my 19th trip to the Boundary Waters and my son’s fifth trip. We spent time canoeing paddling, fishing, swimming, hiking, playing cards, reading and just hanging out together. I enjoy being disconnected from email and the Internet, having time to look around and appreciate nature while spending time with my son. I’m sure I would miss the comfort and convenience of a connection to the grid if our trip had been a lot longer--some people take trips that last weeks or more. 

I always am surprised at how quickly the relaxation and carefree feeling of time away ends as we return to the grid. After we get to our car and drive about a half an hour back into civilization, our phones pick up a connection and begin buzzing and beeping with missed messages and other items. I’ve written in the past about my efforts to cut out technology distractions and the importance of self-monitoring how much time I spend with technology overall, something I call tecognition. I worry somewhat that my kids have spent so little time off of the grid disconnected. I hope that my kids will remember these experiences off the grid and that it will help them be better at recognizing what how technology can create interruptions in their lives. 

Even if you can't get away from the grid and make it impossible to disconnect, you can make an effort to take a break. Consider taking a trip or even spending a few hours relaxing, keeping your phone off as long as you can (or in airplane mode with WiFi off and Do No Disturb mode on). If you have children, help them experience time off the grid, too. Afterwards, be sure to have conversations discussing how it went, how it felt, and the role that we let technology control and interrupt us. Take steps to take control of your technology and turn off unnecessary notifications for social media, news, sports scores, and whatever else buzzes or beeps during your day that isn't essential for you to be alerted about at any given moment. Help your kids do this, too.

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