Purely Piper

Some things are easier said than done. That was most certainly the case with my most recent challenge: spend a consecutive four hours without technology. A time without technology is a far away dream. The peace one can have without constant buzzes and notifications, the silence one can appreciate without tv playing in the background, and the productivity one can achieve without distraction. As I embarked on this challenge, I looked forward to the tranquility it would bring my day.

I woke up on Saturday without an alarm, relying on my own internal clock to begin my day. My sleep was not interrupted by my buzzing phone, and I did not have to answer to a rude wake up call. It was a rather pleasant way to begin my morning and take things at my own pace. Upon waking up, I laid out my plan for the day: shower, get nails done, and see my parents for lunch.

In my head this was a perfect plan to keep me distracted, off my phone, and productive. Little did I realize how immersed my phone had become in my day to day life. Getting in the car, I wanted to turn on my GPS and music. Arriving at the nail salon I was faced with a screen to check in, multiple TVs playing the news, and people on their phones all around me. I quickly realized that engaging with media could also be unintentional. While my goal was not to use technology, it seemed unavoidable. Even when I had left the nail salon and headed to lunch, I struggled to avoid technology there as well. There was loud music and TVs playing various football games. An intentional afternoon spent with my parents was still, despite my own efforts, interrupted by the constant overload of media. 

You don’t realize how reliant you are on technology until you try to take a break from it. Regardless of my goal going into this day, I could not avoid interacting with it if I tried. What is funny, is that when I stopped trying to intentionally not engage with electronics, I had a much easier time completing this challenge.

On Sunday I had another full day planned. I had a coffee date planned with a friend and that suddenly turned into my four hours without technology. It was not intentional by any means. I got lost in good conversation. There was no checking the time because we were just immersed in the here and now. It was a special outing because I felt no need to check my notifications or see what was going on outside of the coffee shop. Looking back on this outing, I realized I had not engaged with any technology for close to four hours. 

After “completing” this challenge, I thought back to Tristan Harris and his fight for media regulation. In his 60 Minutes interview he provided insight on the way that social media has shifted our motivation. Children in America want to be online influencers when they grow up, while children in China strive to be astronauts.

The first day of my attempt I was tense, filled with anxiety, and worried about what would happen if I was disconnected from my phone. The second day was different, as I allowed myself to be present in the moment and forget about the outside world. Dr. Jim Taylor describes this as disconnectivity anxiety. Disconectivity anxiety by definition is, “a persistent and unpleasant condition characterized by worry and unease caused by periods of technological disconnection from others.” It is so odd to think that I felt disconnected from others, even while in the presence of those I love most. Though this happens to be in our modern human nature. There is a beauty in the unfilled moments. We don’t always need to be escaping to our phones when a conversation lulls or when we feel bored. There is something to be learned in that silence, a connection to be made in the stillness, and an opportunity found outside of the internet.