Many people complain regularly that the world of the internet is an open sewer, filled with garbage and trash. Others will point out that there are multitudes of joyous, celebratory, and beautiful content. Both perspectives are certainly true, giving those who go online a choice. However, even the wonderful can become mentally tiring, especially when reduced to millions of pulsing pixels. Sometimes it is best for us to take a brief break and give our minds an opportunity to re-set.
Recently I was able to spend several days at a woodland camp that has no electricity and minimal cell phone service. The building looks like a tumble-down dilapidated shack, but it is over 100 years old and will likely be standing for many more. Ongoing repairs and fixes are needed to keep it dry and reasonably comfortable inside. Obviously, this is no place for a computer and it is easy to completely turn off your phone for a couple of days. Time spent there becomes an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and to reconnect with the natural world. It is the perfect place to allow our eyes and minds to rest from the electronic onslaught that bombards us most days.
We are exposed daily to a wide variety of media. Television programs, emails, websites, text messages, and more shower us with information and entertainment, all vying for our attention. It can become overwhelming, nerve-wracking, or even paralyzing if we cannot find a way to control the various inputs. Most of us succeed in that control, with varying levels of success, on most days. But sometimes it is good to make a complete break with the electronic world and allow for a period of rest and rejuvenation.
Even a short break can cause great angst in some people. It seems difficult at times to pry folks away from their devices to allow for sleep, let alone to take several days with no electronic stimulation. For those who can embrace the time, however, it can become a chance for a mental renewal. The peace and quiet of the natural world (which can actually be very noisy) gives one time to rest from the static that is the background of daily life.
No one (except maybe the Amish) is immune from the cumulative effects of digital overload. At times it seems that the brain cannot hold any further stimulation. That is when we crave the opportunity to just turn it all off and walk away, at least for a brief period. Calm returns to our minds and bodies while we soon adopt a more natural rhythm. The sounds of the wind blowing through the trees, the hoot of an owl, or the yipping call of a coyote replaces the beeps and chirps of the electronic world. Soon we are renewed and refreshed enough to return to our daily lives, having re-set our perspective. Sometimes it takes a bit of courage to turn off the modern world but the rewards outweigh the perceived “risk”. Follow your best instincts and reap the benefits of a digital detox.