Summer has always been one of my favorite times of the year.
Not because life slows down. Because it gives us permission to.
Every summer, my family and I spend time in Northern Michigan. If you’ve ever been there, you know what I’m talking about. Crystal-clear water, fresh air, little lakeside towns, and just enough distance from the hustle of everyday life to remind you what you’ve been missing.
One of my favorite parts? The cell service isn’t very good.
Years ago, that used to stress me out.
“What if someone needs me?”
“What if I miss an important email?”
“What if something happens while I’m disconnected?”
Sound familiar?
But after a day or so, something interesting happened.
I stopped reaching for my phone & I started connecting with the people around me.
Conversations became deeper, meals lasted a little longer.
Sunsets became something to experience instead of something to photograph.
I wasn’t checking email every five minutes or wondering what I was missing online.
I had finally…
Unplugged from the Matrix.
The funny thing is, I don’t have to drive four hours north to experience that feeling anymore.
I simply have to make the decision.
Here’s what I’ve learned.
Our bodies need sleep. Our minds need stillness. And our souls need moments when they aren’t being interrupted every few seconds.
We weren’t designed to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Yet somehow we’ve convinced ourselves that responding immediately is the same thing as being productive.
It isn’t.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is become temporarily unavailable.
My son has a great phrase for it.
“Hang up and hang out.”
I love that.
Whether it’s dinner with your family, a walk through the neighborhood, sitting on the back porch with a cup of coffee, or spending an hour at the beach, those moments aren’t distractions from life.
They are life.
Quarter Turn Action Step
This week, schedule one hour to unplug.
No email.
No social media.
No notifications.
No scrolling.
Just be present.
Because I have a feeling that what you’ll find isn’t on your phone.
It’s sitting right in front of you.
Cheers to Hanging Up and Hanging Out,
One Quarter Turn at a Time
Thoughts for the week about unplugging
Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes. Including you. -Anne Lamott
Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master. –Christian Lous Lange
There’s no wifi in the forest, but I promise you you’ll find a better connection. – Unknown
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