Day 12: 30 Days — 30 Ways: Offline Challenge

In our world today, we are immersed in images, media, music, and digitalized everything. These wonderful advances are great and have been especially important to help us socialize, learn, and work safely during this pandemic.

While some of us are safe at home, others are essential and physically need to be present at work. Those of us operating digitally are safer in some ways, but not in others. Despite being able to virtually connect with others, this contact method seems to become more and more vapid over time. As more time passes at home, I worry that the in-person human connections we have will fade, and our minds pixelated to the point that our emotions will be deadened.

The Offline Challenge is a suggestion to stay offline as much as possible for at least 3 days. See what you do … how much you accomplish… how you feel during and after your time offline. It may feel lonely, boring, even pointless at first. The reason I think this challenge is so important is because we can much more easily hear ourselves think when we are offline. Nothing is beeping, notifying, advertising, messaging, or urging us to read, try, or buy. We are much more likely to notice the people, sounds, and natural environment that surrounds us. It will help us stay in the present, connect with real people, know ourselves better, and remember our interests.

How much time should you spend offline? I suggest cutting down your online time by at least one hour the first day, two hours the second day, and avoid it all together on the 3rd day. If you need to work on a computer, then avoid it once you finish your job for the day.

What are your interests offline? For some of us, it is easy. For me, being a writer, staying offline is challenging. It feels awkward taking to the pen and paper, but it is worthwhile. The hand to brain connection increases creative thought and depth of thinking. Using various parts of our bodies to complete tasks will help us to use more of our brain, increase movement, and maybe even re-humanize us a bit.

Here are some ideas: write a letter, plant some flowers, draw, paint, sing, clean out a drawer, doodle, go through old pictures, meditate, walk, etc.

How will this increase your wealth, health, and happiness? You are likely rekindle a hobby you once loved, a weary relationship, or your own thinking power.

So, go! Take a day offline!