I did something last week that I rarely do…
I went an entire day without the Internet. So that meant no checking e-mail, blog comments, forum posts, fan page comments, no tweeting…. nothing.
I can’t lie. It felt a little weird at first. It seemed as if the world was moving on without me. Sad, I know. 🙂
I never realized how much I impulsively log on to the Internet throughout the day — even if it’s just to check the lyrics of a song or to find a quick recipe for dessert. But I quickly busied myself, and before long I started to realize this was the break I needed.
My day started with a relaxing massage, I finished some chores and tasks I had been putting off for months, went to Yoga class and had dinner with some old friends.
I ended the day at my favorite local Starbucks, curled up in a comfy chair while I sipped a Venti Soy Chai and read a mystery novel on my Kindle. It was a day of pure relaxation and it was if my entire body sighed and said “Thank you!”
This day of relaxation carried into the next because I was so energized, felt refreshed and was extremely productive the next couple of days.
Even though I take quite a few vacations away from home throughout the year, my laptop is never far from my fingertips. It’s rare for me to completely unplug for a whole day, and it’s definitely a sign of the times we live in.
I encourage you to assess how much time you spend online and/or connected to your cell phone. I’m not an obsessive texter or cell phone user so that technology doesn’t consume as much of my day, but my Internet hours definitely add up.
This break was not only good for my body, but it really helped get my creative juices flowing for some projects I’m working on. I will definitely be adding more days like this to my routine.
When is the last time you unplugged so you can recharge your internal battery?
God i can’t remember the last time i went a day without the net. Wow, I can’t remember! Blogging is hard! Since I work on the computer every day, I can’t go a full day without logging on.
The ole’ what-no-internet surprise in the hotel. Sometimes to have to recharge yourself and gt your mInd straight.
With the advancement of electronic engineering I believe that unplugging laptop when not in use will not hurt so much. 🙂
I went away 3 days last week on a retreat together with some friends. I usually do this 4 times a year 3-5 days.
This is the single best thing I can do for my self and my business!
The Interaction between work and retreat creates an enormous momentum for me which makes me much more efficient and happy!
Hi Lisa
The last time I unplugged was actually when my Internet Provide did it for me 🙂 I was without Internet a whole evening. Believe it or not I sat down and wrote a blog about being addicted to the Internet as a blogger 😀 I then posted the post the next morning when my Internet was fixed again. The good thing about it was that there was nothing to distract me writing that post.
Hello! Very true post! I am trying to find even one day during the week to limit my online time! It is important to spend time with friends and family and get away from responsibilities once in a while.
Thanks for sharing!
John
What’s up ya’ll first time here and will be back again. Hi Lisa, as for staying off the net for a day or two I find it hard. I guess Im some type of a junky!!
Anyway, love your site and love what you have build up here.
God i can’t remember the last time i went a day without the net. for one i need it for work and secondly, i have invested in a popular smart phone so that i have access on the move. need i say more. i think this is becoming the norm among the modern generation….
I usually stay from the Internet away every Sunday. Is like my day off from everything. That day I spend it with my wife and watching football (soccer) games.
I also believe (personally) is good to stay away from the computer at least once per week. Because it clears my mind and on Monday when I come back it seems I am more focused on my goals.
hello lisa. i can not agree with you any better. i tink rechanging yourself and taking time out to relax from work is the best way to boost your energy and gain new ideas for your business.
Hi Lisa,
I think it is not so much the media what weary us—but the routine.
It seems that you are planning a deserved vacation—I recommend you a cruiser, but with online asses of course.
Regards
The answer to your headline question is almost always the same: Not recently enough. I know the benefits of unplugging but actually finding the time and wherewithal to do it is a totally different matter.
I spend most of my time online whenever I am free..Otherwise I am busy in studies..
i do it all the time when i take extended trips. my wife and i like traveling and often times i will completely distance myself to pursue traveling and other hobbies. it’s by design.
i find myself most productive and my businesses performing at their best when i take a few weeks off and then focus and work hard for a few weeks. i alternate this around and it’s worked perfect for me.
Lisa Lisa,
Love the post, and honestly believe you always need time away from these soul absorbing machines.
I know it is your business, your source of income like many, but, some time in years to come you will look away from your computer and wonder where the hell did time go.
If you were say, to step back, say an outer-body experience, and take a look at yourself, sitting there, your actually just looking at a box, really, that’s it and spending hours and hours doing so. Some people call this “socializing’ ha! get a grip.
I make some money, enough to live on online, but I refuse to just stare at something for the best years of my life.
I have made it so that I still chef (passion for food won’t go away) make sure I get my writings done which involves poetry to magazines and plays in to competitions, get to go boxing, gym, swim, fresh air and time with the girlfriend, and to myself of-course.
Living is beautiful once living doesn’t become virtual. Take time to yourself, read a book that has nothing to do with online marketing and always take at least a day a week away from the virtual world of unknown faces and voices.
I got unplugged for an afternoon a while back and all that same good stuff that you said happened for me to. So I decided to take an official “day off” every week. That was 3 week ago and apparently I was lying to myself. Thanks for the reminder!
Lisa, I didn’t plan my last internet break – but I was forced into it! I went on vacation this past summer with friends and the place we stayed didn’t have internet and I had NO backup plan what-so-ever. 🙂 I freaked out a little at first but it was a much needed break and I began to relax after I realized that being offline wasn’t so bad after all.
But trust me, that will not be happening again this summer. 🙂
I mean when I take a break it will be a planned one not a forced one. I like your idea of getting a massage first too. Thanks Lisa.
Ooooh! I’ve been there Ileane. The ole’ what-no-internet surprise in the hotel. LOL In fact, I think that was the very reason I bought a wi-fi card. I don’t like those kinds of surprises. As you said, it’s one thing if it’s planned but another if you didn’t expect it.
Lisa,
Kudos to you! You know I am a fan of this practice and highly encourage it. Any day that includes a relaxing massage and a great meal is alright by me! Try it more often! It is rejuvenating.
Hi Lisa,
Wow, I can’t remember! Okay, now that’s sad!!! Wait, it’s coming back to me. Last May… Yep, went out of town for the entire weekend and had no computer with me at all. Since I work on the computer every day, I can’t go a full day without logging on. Plus I still get on over the weekend. Usually playing catch up and still chatting online occasionally. Wow, I think I need a break! Thanks for that reminder!
Adrienne
Hi Lisa
Well I just started a new project. Thanks to Brankica’s recommendation of SiteBuildIt I am now busy researching so won’t be turning off the laptop for awhile.
However, I do turn it off completely for a few hours in the day where I go visit my Mum, have friends round for coffee, read or listen to music; so that’s my break at the moment.
Once my fledgling business is making more and I have things set up the way I want them to go, plan on taking some time off. Haven’t reached that stage yet, but hopefully…..soon 🙂
Patricia Perth Australia
Great post! I believe it is essential to try and get away from the internet once in a while, and just try to do something else I guess. I should take more breaks from the internet more often..lol
Congrats on being able to do this.
Hey Lisa, not sure how my comment got lost but wanna say this is a great idea.
I hardly ever turn off for the entire day, but recently I took a week off and checked the most important stuff only for about half an hour a day. It felt great.
The weird thing was starting to miss some of my online friends, lol.
Glad you recharged your batteries and I am sure you will come up with even more great ideas now!
I un-spammed your comment Bankica. 😉
My next goal is to do a week like you. Now that will be a lot harder, but I got amazing benefits from one day so looking forward to stretching that offline time more!
Hey Lisa , I totally agree with yOu. Sometimes to have to recharge yourself and gt your mInd straight. Maybe new ideas was come your way who knows
Lisa, I agree wholeheartedly with what you did. I make myself go without the computer, usually on a Sunday, every 2nd or 3rd week. It’s hard, but my 11 year old son helps keep me busy so I don’t think about it too much.
“I went an entire day without the Internet.”
I don’t brelieve you. LOL
Email checking and internet viewing can become obsessive.
Be interested in how many times your treaders check for emails deuring the coiurse of a day.
And the internet… well here IO am leaving a comment as though my life depended on it.
Thanks for the warning.
Lisa,
I totally can see your point here. I have only been blogging for 4 months now and often feel fried! It so demanding on our time and energy to put forth our best effors.
Blogging is hard! There are so many things going on at once and I too feel totally disconnected with life when I don’t have the Internet.
Maybe I’ll take a day off soon…maybe 🙂
Hi Lisa,
I think this is fabulous. As we start to rely more and more on technology, our laptops, email, our phones… I think it’s too easy for us to get lost in all of it. It’s hard for us to put it all away for a while.
I’ve never just shut off everything, but I’d really like to! I probably will do it come spring/summer when the weather is nicer and there will be more incentive for me to go outside and do things. I can’t wait! I know it will be nice to not be on Twitter or email 24/7.
Thanks for sharing, Lisa 🙂 loved the post!
I’m 3/4 of the way to making a full-time living from the Internet.
The best thing about taking a break from internet marketing is that the income streams don’t take a break with you.
Glad to see you stepped out for awhile Lisa, away from the net.
I have done that on a regular basis. And yes it feels wierd. 🙂
Also, there was a time that my computer was down. I was unplugged about 3 days, but then went to the library to check my email. Those 3 days were very enlightening to show how much reliance there is on the computer.
I definitely agree. I unplugged Sunday and Monday not completely, but was on only about 5 minutes total. There are some days you just need to give it and your brain rest.
The last time I completely unplugged was 3 years ago when I spent a week in hospital and whilst for the first day I was wondering what I was missing I soon enjoyed the freedom it gave me. And although forced bed rest for those 7 days I did catch up on a ton of fiction reading.
As of these days I try to have a couple of days a month where the only reason the computer goes on is to check personal email and that is it. Those days do feel weird but the benefit of them is massive as it allows me to catch up on all those other things I had been planning to do but keep putting off.
Like this post!
All of us need some plug-off sometime.
Hope this recharge will give you more juice for your next posts!
Ha! Now that you mention it, I feel like an internet junkie lol. I rarely ever go a day without logging into something. If I do, I feel like I’m missing something. My spring break is coming, so maybe this will be the chance to step away
Infact, this is the needed juice to justify my absence from my blog…we just have to be firm that making money is not all that we live for, we also need to enjoy the money made, the world can move on without you, live for you and the world would come to stand for you…only the living make more money!
Lisa, you seem like a workaholic! you should take it easy my dear friend, Internet business can be stressful at times. Any work that bring in money is not an easy work at all. Take care and relax and make sure you do it often.
Sundays I try to lay off the computer. I should give myself a computer ban every now and again though.
Hey Lisa: I have not been away from my laptop for a full day for a while and when I was I had my smartphone for texting. We are going on vacation this week and I am going to take your advice and unplug for at least a day. I want to slow down and get a different perspective, especially since we will be a nice warm location with a calming ocean to use for contemplation. Thanks for reminding us to return to our inner voice, if only for a day. I am looking forward to what it is telling me.
I hear ya Ann. Close that laptop and open your ears to the calming sound of the waves hitting the beach! Ahhhhh (I’m already relaxing. lol)
Can’t remember… :-))
But I definitely need to spend more time offline and outdoors. Thanks for reminding me, Lisa!
I’m going mostly offline for three weeks. I’m re-modeling our office. Our computer stations are in the living room with the big-screen t.v. Makes us feel like executives in a huge office. But, most of the time, I’m hanging drywall, sanding, painting, finishing the floors. I’m logging on only to post a blog twice a week, and, of course, check in here. Love you, Lisa!
My moods have been much better with all this physical labor. I’ll never be a professional web guy. That’s just the way it is.
Well, glad you’re still gonna make some time for my blog, Fred. Priorities right! LOL, just kidding. 🙂 Good luck with your office project.
I don’t usually remain unplugged for a day – mainly because my job requires me to use a computer. I’m not online as much on weekends since family commitments take precedence, and I only have a cellphone for emergencies.
I try to find a nice balance between being online and home life. When it comes down to it, home life will take precedence.
Enjoyed your post, Lisa. It’s easy to fall into bad habits while working on one’s business. There even software that will gently remind you, at intervals you prescribe, to take a break. My favorite is Time Out and I’m sure there are plenty others out there.
Lets see, I am normally awake for 16 hrs per day, could I spend all those hours with out opening up my laptop. I would have to discount the weekdays, work requires me to switch on.
That leaves the weekend, Sat/Sun morning having a coffee browsing the net, reading the paper online, checking out 2createawebsite, has become a ritual, and I guess a recharge.
So I don’t see myself completely going cold turkey for a day in the near future…..