August 22, 2017

Celebrate the End of Summer By Going Unplugged

This is a bit of a throwback, but we’ve always adored Carrie Goldman’s  Portrait of an Adoption article about what happened when she went to Italy on vacation and chose not to get a data plan for her phone, effectively leaving her offline for the entire vacation. In the piece, she notes that during that time she read 11 books, found time to feed herself and her family well-prepared meals, cuddle her kids, make huge strides in her work spreading awareness about bullying, calm down, breathe, and relax.

It’s easy to think that being plugged is in is what keeps us connected. It allows us to stay in touch with our children when they’re not at home, when can check in with family members from far away with just a few clicks of text, we can gather information and research with rapid speed, spreading awareness about the causes that are important to us more quickly than ever before. But we can also get lost in our devices, mistaking technological connectedness with making actual connections with the people in our lives.

If you have children, they’re likely due back in school any day now, if they’re not already there. If you don’t, the glorious golden days of the season are coming to an end. The fall will quickly fill up with athletic practices, music rehearsals and all the hustle and bustle that keeps us running around like mad people until Christmas, when we all collapse at home, feeling utterly overwhelmed, and totally under-relaxed.

So in these precious last moments of summer, here are some unplugged activities that aim to bring you closer to your family and friends, or simply to yourself, while hopefully instilling a few good habits for tech-free relaxation that can take you through the stressful season to come.

• Take a walk with your spouse, your kids, or by yourself. Pay attention to what’s going on around you and enjoy nature-fueled communication with your walking partner.
• Cook dinner together, from scratch. Have everyone pitch in with a favorite side dish, or dessert.
• Spend some time outside every day, even if it’s just 15 minutes, to soak up the sun and breathe some fresh air.
• Engage a passion. Whether it’s a cause, an instrument, an athletic endeavor or a new organization you want to start…you’ll never grow if you don’t give yourself the time.
• Spend some one-on-one time with your children. Indulge their interests, open their eyes to something new, spark some imagination.
• Craft day! Nothing is more fun a little at-home DIY.
• Visit a local museum—science, art, history, whatever. Choose a unique exhibition and make it an interactive learning experience.
• Catch up on sleep.
• Play board games, or teach your children one of your favorite card games.
• Dominos!
• Read a book about something that’s always interested you, but you’ve never given yourself the time to enjoy. Or choose a family book, and read one chapter out loud together every night.

The options truly are endless. Let us know on our Facebook page what happened when you and your put down your devices. We’d love to spread some inspiration!