Anyone done a technology 'fast'?

Eureka175

My sons school does a "media detox" challenge every year for one month! For every evening they are "media free" they get to enter a draw for a magazine subscription - last year my son won as he had over 20 entries into draw:)

RobynMWilson

No way.

I'd die.

Hahaha! As soon as I saw the topic that was my first thought! lol I've chilled a lot with my phone to the point that I really can't stand texting anymore. My big thing is Facebook, although I did manage to get off the Farm at least. I really don't know if I could do it...

tajmel

I've been online way too much recently because of MFP haha, but at the beginning of May I dropped off of facebook and a dozen other sites to free up time. Seriously, it's the best thing I've done for myself and my family all year. I popped back in last week to see what I had missed, and was not impressed by what I found :P.

I have also dropped all technology before (not that difficult since I have a basic cell phone plan and don't watch any TV or play video games), but frankly I like having some degree of connectedness. It drives me nuts not to be able to check the news, for instance, and I'm the kind of person that constantly looking things up. I'm a big proponent of self-education, and the internet is a fabulous tool for that. Also, my boss doesn't love it when I miss all of her emails ;P.

AllTehBeers

Just wondering, does you iPhone have a hotspot? That's what I use for my internet and I'm not paying extra for the exact same thing. But, I also live by myself so I don't have to worry if someone else needs to use the internet.

Hmm. Probably not - I have a pretty basic iPhone plan. Are you talking about tethering? Or something different? (sorry, I'm a bit tech backwards) I live alone too, so that wouldn't be a problem here. I do actually go days without using the laptop, but I watch Netflix through my xbox. Of course, I can't get to the boards on my phone, so when I see something interesting I have to log in on the laptop (or at work).

It's not part of your plan, it's a feature that comes with your phone. It's exactly like tethering but it's wireless. You turn your hotspot on and the list of "wireless network connections" your internet from your phone comes up and you can connect to it. The only issue I have is I only have a certain allotment of GBs and once I hit that, my high speed turns to "what the f is this, dial up?" internet. So I don't think I could use netflix with it, but I love it to surf the web.

trickrabbit

Went campimg in a tent last weekend only had my cell phone. Not a smart phone just a phone and camera.
It was very nice to unplug for two days. After my boss called me at six AM the first day I even shut that off.
Not as hard as I thought it might be.

Ocarina

I've gone completely free of technology except for checking the cell phone for time on a backpacking trip last fall. It was very eye opening. The thing that sucked was not being able to check in with my husband. That was it!

Otherwise.... I enjoy TV + Internet but try to make it a rule to GO OUTSIDE everyday and to do things with my husband as much as possible. I only use the internet for paying bills, checking MFP, World of Warcraft with my husband, checking weather, and looking up how to cook stuff. Basically references.

I avoid the news. I avoid text messaging. I even have a smart phone sadly but I don't use it as much as I should. I keep it because I enjoy it when I need it and texting my husband is fun.

As far as TV goes we watch it together, while I'm cooking & when eating because I don't like eating in other rooms. And we only watch cool stuff like the History Channel, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, HGTV, ect. Stuff that is educational and not dramatic.

I also DO NOT use Facebook and think it is the devil.

The only crappy thing is work... I'm chained to my email. And my boss calls me and texts me all the time. It sucks lol. But part of being a lead or whatever you call it. I would love to cut off work from technology but it's a IT job revolving around that type of crap.

I'm all for minimizing it and GOING OUTSIDE more.

MooMooooo

Count me in.

How do we share tips if we can't use technology to share it. No but really, that was just a feeble excuse to use the computer.

I wonder if I will start shaking.

lolz - I thought of this - we need to prepare right?

I am thinking for my 24 hours I will switch my iphone off before bed and put it away. (after notifying peeps on fb and here that I won't be around)

Next day go to the mountain (we have one nearby) have a picnic and hike with the family.

Go home, eat dinner. Cry. Fight. (not necessarily in that order) Play board games or do a puzzle (I like puzzles)

Take a bath - or a walk, go to bed.

Mawkish1983

Nope

INFJ

Moo, did you do what you posted above yet? (Sounds like a fine day.)

Or are we setting a date to try it and report back afterwards? I'm curious about doing this and would love to hear what happens to others who do it too

1LRoy

I gave up TV for a bit. After I got divorced and got my own place I found myself eating in front of the tv alot... and then staying in front of the tv for long afterwards! Now I sit down at the table, listen to music, and sometimes read while I eat and I find that I enjoy my meal much more.

I don't really miss tv and I get so much more done in my day.

JuneBPrice

I've been wanting to do this SO badly, but I want to go camping and give up all these things. My problem is I can't find people to go with

drinkindunkin

No, as a professional TF2 player it's just not feasible for me.

Pimpmonkey

Can't. On call for work.

countryboytwo

my sister tried that she gave up 50 minutes later haha

anitac0126

YES!! I call it "Initiating Tech Silence". It's heavenly....until you come back and are met with more messages and such than you can answer in one sitting. HA!

christa_dee

I did a fast for a week. No tv and no internet. It was hard, but way worth it. My fast was to focus more on God and less of things of this world. It helped me so much! I used to be GLUED to the tv and computer. Now I enjoy a little time here and there, but it actually bores me to sit on the computer for hours or watch tv all day!

vestarocks

Yes. We do it with the kids once a year for a week. They hate it at first but often ask for a Earth Hour regularly (they are 12 & 15). Also when we are camping (but if it is raining we do pull out the DVD player). Once during Tech-free week my son was missing something on TV. We can see our neighbour's big screen from our living room. He sat there with binoculars watching our neighbour's tv. It was hilarious.

outspan87

I'm a computer engineer and I did that for 6 weeks in a small rural village in Uganda. However doing it where you live might be harder.

Doing_The_Unstruck

I'm down. While I use tech a lot, I do not feel a need to use it and do not miss it when It's not around.

aproc

I'd actually be interested in doing that as well. It'd help me get some reading accomplished.

sweebum

I went from checking facebook constantly (ok, maybe 12 times a day). I deleted the app from my iphone and I now check once a day. I don't miss anything..and I get more done now that I am not interrupted so much. It's awesome.

manderann

I did just last weekend. I went camping by myself. No electricity, no running water at the campground, no cell phone reception, and a ten minute drive to the nearest paved road. It was the most refreshing thing I've ever done. I hiked 21 miles one of the days I was there, and I think I saw a total of like ten people all day. I think it's going to be an annual trip...

tameejean

I do this occasionally. I suppose it isn't a *pure* fast, but I cut out all social media for a week or two. Honestly, it makes me feel so much better.

MooMooooo

Thanks for all the responses guys!

I have decided to start tomorrow, but I'm starting SLOW.

I will allow myself 2 hours to surf the net and 3 hours to watch tv in a 24 hour period. Starting tomorrow.

I'll tighten this up to 1 hour of surfing and 2 hours of tv as I adjust.

I will probably just keep it at this lowered level forever, I don't really need the net, and I'm curious as to how I will feel not being able to reach for the laptop/ iphone anytime I'm feeling bored.

I am hoping I will laugh more!

IAMDDAY

considering my job they would be mad at me for that

honkytonks85

I'm thinking about giving up TV, iphone and laptop for 24 hours.

Anyone done this - or tried this?

It will be very, very hard for me, I doubt I go longer than an hour without looking at one of these devices, even when I'm napping if my iphone beeps I check the message.

If people are interested in this I might make a group to share experiences and tips.

Yes, when I go on holidays I promise to not do all of those things

rikwaynik

Thanks for all the responses guys!

I have decided to start tomorrow, but I'm starting SLOW.

I will allow myself 2 hours to surf the net and 3 hours to watch tv in a 24 hour period. Starting tomorrow.

I'll tighten this up to 1 hour of surfing and 2 hours of tv as I adjust.

I will probably just keep it at this lowered level forever, I don't really need the net, and I'm curious as to how I will feel not being able to reach for the laptop/ iphone anytime I'm feeling bored.

I am hoping I will laugh more!

I will join you and I like your numbers so I will use them except I'll give the internet the 3 hours and television, 2. I'm usually on the internet most of the day so it may be difficult. I have so much I need to get done so this challenge is right on time for me. Thanks

MooMooooo

Well day 1 is done I journalled my day (not sure how to spell that) internet was easy - I used about 1 hour without trying.

But I do reach for my phone when I'm upset. Interesting finding.

TV was HARD - so hard. It's so easy to sit on the couch and watch - I also have taped shows that I can watch.

I think I watched around 4 hours yesterday - although to be fair an hour was with my husband watching a show I didn't want to see because I was waiting to talk to him in the ad breaks and afterwards. But I still watched and discussed it with him.

But on the upside I bought and installed a new curtain rail that I have been meaning to do for a while and I bought fabric and recovered my cats bed too.

Couple of niggling chores done.

It is amazing the similarities between this and dieting - it's all habit based.