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If one of your goals for 2014 is to unplug a bit from the Internet, you’re not alone. We can easily become hooked on connecting through social networks, checking on email, looking up trivia on Wikipedia and surfing the web. The next thing we know, hours have passed with little accomplished.
But unplugging isn’t as easy as it sounds. Notifications of Facebook posts, tweets, new emails and other alerts can beckon us back to the Internet and before we know it, our best laid plans have been forgotten as we peruse the updates we might have missed had we waited a moment longer.
By unplugging from the Internet, even for a little while every day, we can become more efficient, enrich our connections with friends and family in real life and even get more sleep!
Here is a helpful infographic from Greatist on Visual.ly suggesting helpful ways you can unplug from the Internet and enjoy the world around you a bit more.
Just remember when you plug back in to the Internet, come visit The Wonder of Tech again!
For other ideas to wean yourself from tech, see The Cell Phone Challenge: Are You Brave Enough?
Your Thoughts
Is one of your goals in 2014 to spend less time on the Internet? Do you make a conscious effort to unplug from the Internet? Do you find yourself losing hours of time checking in on social media, reading emails and surfing the ‘Net? Do you find it difficult to stay away from your computer or smartphone? Let us know in the Comments section below!
* Unplug image by Yon Garin ο£Ώ FotΓ³grafo Β· Argazkilaria
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Carolyn took one look at this infographic and decided to unplug from the Internet. She will plug back in on January 6 to reply to comments.
Articles will continued to be published at The Wonder of Tech while Carolyn is unplugged. Be sure to check back Friday for the first article in the first series ever at The Wonder of Tech!
Hi Carolyn and Happy New Year! Your post is so timely because I was just telling my hubs this morning, my resolution is to “unplug” a bit more and spend more time with family and doing fun and exciting things. I’ve been slack the past 2 years and my marriage has suffered a tad. I want back what I loss. Thanks again for this post! Hope you had a fabulous New Year!
Hi Bren, You’re right, personal relationships can suffer when we spend too much time online. By unplugging each day we can spend more time with loved ones and less time online.
I’m glad this was helpful to you! Best wishes for an amazing 2014 online and in the real world. (*)
Hi Carolyn !
The infographic is awesome but for those who have become very much addicted to the internet ..its difficult for them to get rid of it for a few days and i’m one of them . Since 6-7 years , i’ve been using internet regularly .. i don’t remember a single day in which i haven’t used the internet . Thanks for sharing this infographic and Happy new year to you and your family !
-Pramod
Wow, Pramod, not a single day unplugged in 6-7 years? Maybe it’s time you unplugged, perhaps for a day. You could try it and see what happens. You may enjoy your new found freedom quite a bit. You can go back to the Internet the next day to see what you missed when you were unplugged.
Let us know if you try unplugging for a day. π
Hiiii Carolyn,
Thanks for sharing this awesome infographic with all of us. you post title is just suitable for this post “The Ultimate Guide to Unplugging from the Internet”, but i think it will be to much tough to be completely Unplug for few days from the Internet. Actually, i am also a addicted person and so, i think i will be not able to do this. but i want to give a try.
By the way amazing post. thanks again Carolyn……..!!
Hi Amit, Yes, the tougher it is for you to unplug from the Internet the more you need to do so. You’re right, unplugging for a few days might be tough. Why not try to unplug for an hour first and see how that goes?
Carolyn, I’m going to try to take more time off on the weekends from being online and do more fun and relaxing things. I love the infographic! I think if you just leave phone in another room, it’s a good start! Let’s see how far we can do this one in 2014.
Hi Lisa, Yes, even small steps such as leaving your phone in another room can be a great start to unplugging. Staying away from the Internet for a day or the weekend can also be a good idea. It can’t hurt to try it and see what happens, right? We may enjoy ourselves a lot by focusing more on the real world and less on the Internet!
Great guide, Carolyn π
I am not sure whether I will be unplugging from internet, especially since I just started a new blog (plus, I am starting to take more classes, and these days almost all classes require some sort of tool/software that needs internet).
That being said, I would take breaks (integrating breaks as part of my daily routine), rather than unplugging from the internet for a few days/weeks.
Anyways, thank you for sharing this awesome post, Carolyn π Hope you had a good New Year’s day!
Hi Jeevan, Wow, you will be on the Internet a lot in 2014 for very exciting purposes. But that may be all the more reason to take a break, even if it’s for an hour a day. You may need to step back from it just to clear your head every so often.
Best wishes for a prosperous 2014, Jeevan!
Totally agree, it’s best to have a “unplugged” time from the internet as yes, once that PC, Laptop or tablet is on and retrieving, thats it your “on” and there’s no going back to cook your breakfast, I find this all the time, so everyday I always ignore the laptop, go straight to the kitchen, cook breaky, read the paper or mail then boot the laptop up. Thus having energy inside to sit there for yes hours tweeting, emailing, facebooking etc etc!
Hi Steve, Great idea to keep the laptop off until after breakfast. That’s a wonderful way to ensure at least one meal will be uninterrupted by the Internet. Everything can wait until after you’ve had your morning meal.
Hi Carolyn,
I definitely need to spend less time online in 2014 – in my case, it’s some blog-hopping and commenting that will have to go, because I just can’t keep up with it all at the rate I’ve been going. I’ve got my stiff neck back, which was a problem a few months ago, but apart from that, I just need to create more time for other kinds of writing.
Thanks for a great share – love the infographic π
Hi Susan, Yes, it’s very easy to get caught up in blog hopping. There is much to learn from blogs and a lot of quality information to be gathered from visiting different sites. But we can spend hours each day visiting dozens of blogs and still feel as if we haven’t visited enough.
It sounds as if you do need to spend less time on the Internet, Sue, though I always appreciate you visiting here and taking the time to comment. π
Carolyn,
I don’t need an infographic to tell me that I waste far too much time doing something that is totally unproductive. However, it’s nice to read that I’m not alone in my goal of reducing my Internet related activity, In my case by 20% or more. The only difference is that I don’t say I’m going to do this for the rest of my life, preferring to say I’m only going to do this for the next 30 days and then see what happens after that.
Somehow, is easier to tell yourself to change for 30 days rather than for the rest of your life.
Hi Ken, That’s a very wise approach. Changing our habits for January is easier than saying we’ll change our habits forever. But perhaps by changing our lives in January we are taking the first steps towards making permanent changes.
What a great resource for those wanting to break away for a bit. Even for those like myself who need to focus more strongly at a specific task. I used to be the one who never had their phone with them….now, its hooked to me. My trick and tip is to silent it so that I can get my work done and then go back to it when ready. However, I do like this app you have shared. I’m going to check it out. Thanks = )
irish
Hi Irish, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Yes, we do need to unplug every so often but doing so becomes more difficult the more we are on the Internet. Great suggestion about silencing your phone to get your work done. Powering it all the way off may work too.
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts with us, Irish!
Hi Carolyn,
Happy New Year!!
Since my laptop is having problems, it looks like my online time will be reduced. This is not like me who do not want to use the internet, but I can not use it for some time.
Maybe this is the time I have to do many things offline π
Thanks for the article, Carolyn.
And of course, I love the infographic!!
Regards,
Nanda
Hi Nanda, Good point. Sometimes our breaks from the Internet are because of circumstances instead of by choice!
I hope you get your laptop situation sorted soon. π
Yes, I also think the same with you.
Thank you, Carolyn π
Regards,
You’re welcome, Nanda. π
I couldn’t have helped nodding my head in unison when you talked about the need to unplug from the internet. I find the internet very addictive, and in spite of knowing that I am not doing anything useful I just don’t know how to part with it. I guess I needed a push, and fortunately you helped me with a good one. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jack, I’m so glad you found this article and infographic to be helpful. You’re right, it’s easy to waste time on the Internet. By unplugging every so often we can have more time for the things that truly matter.
It’s only going to get harder when the Internet will be everywhere, on every device running in the background.
It will be accessed using a natural user interface like in Minority Report, be connected to wearable technology right out of a James Bond 007 movie, and be seamlessly integrated with smart technology that’s reminiscent of the Jetsons.
All of this will make the Internet much more difficult to disconnect from in the future.
Hi Laura-Lee, So true. We are quickly evolving to the Internet of Things where home appliances, cars and even locks are connected to the Internet. The more the Internet invades our everyday life the more we will become dependent upon it.