It's a nice thought to have a full 24 hours without technology, but is it realistic? Especially for students like me. So much needs to be typed or read online that it's very hard to get away from computers. Still, I try and find an hour or so here and there that I can spend without a TV, Computer, Cell Phone, Nintendo DS, Zune, Nokia tablet.....

Narsil

It doesn't sound fun at all, but in the long term it will be very beneficial.

Playstation

@nick_r: It's good to hear there are other toilet-bejewelers out there.

sidepocket

I did the no internet thing last Saturday, and it was very refreshing. This was partly because the weather was nice, in the low 80's, for the first time since last October or so.

I might try the one night a week thing with no screen. Seems like a good idea.

bbobjoe

Hmm. Interesting, though I agree with Narsil, it doesn't seem practical for a college student to undertake. I think I would, personally, go insane, or possibly miss deadlines or the like. It looks a bit like breaking a drug addition, really.

Reilaos: Putting the 'Fun' in Dysfunction!

That sounds like a really good idea. I might have to ramp up to it, though. At this point it's an effort not to take my phone to the bathroom with me to play Bejeweled.

nick_r

I've found that I don't check my email at all on weekends. Sometimes, I don't even turn the computer on between Friday-night sleep mode and Monday-morning wake up. It's not deliberate; I just get busy doing other stuff and forget, which probably isn't so bad.

I do, however, watch movies on weekends. I'm not crazy.

khg

Can I use a screen door?

chris-mcc

What a great idea! But the problem is not screen time but the exclusion of non-screen hobbies (real hobbies), not a new thing this.

I've been knitting whilst watching TV so at least I'm doing something worthwhile whilst letting my brain die.

jamescoleuk

I have to get online just to read PostSecret on Sundays. [postsecret.blogspot.com]

joewhitsitt

You plug whatever piece of electronics distracts you (in my case the Wii) into a "timer plug". You know, the ones that turn on lamps while you're on holiday. This means there is only a particular window of time when you can use the distracting item each day.

Just remember to save your game/work before the power turns off.

I submitted this tip the other day but haven't seen it come up yet (sniff) :)

Hadyn

Lazy Sunday

dorylomorphs

I make no apologies for my addiction if she wants to turn off more power for us.

"I replace screen time with sex. Or booze. Or rock-and-roll. Or sometimes all three!"
Only during defrag.

rtipping

I replace screen time with sex. Or booze. Or rock-and-roll. Or sometimes all three!

Deprong Mori

@nick_r: Just be careful you don't drop your phone in!

jorsch

Good. One less IP address on the internet taken up by a NOOB.

If she read this statement she would probably "decry the lapse in language ability in today's techno-addicted youth." Except most of us just forego sleep to keep an awesome internet addiction going while still reading, writing, walking, talking, loving, and laughing.

Like I said, "nub".

Ben

Sometimes I just don't use my computer/cell phone/ipod/tv for days on end simply because I don't feel like it.

I'm a software engineer.

What?

Quine

One night?? Sheesh, how about several weeks, no power. It's called camping folks. Unless the odd glance at the dash on my 4WD counts. Oops, there's the GPS too. Better scratch that.
But seriously, doesn't anyone curl up with a good book anymore?

OzTardis

The way I'm able to go nights without the TV or computer is by doing something physical; In my case that would be Aikido practice. By the time you get home you should be too tired to do anything else.

wrestlingnrj

@jorsch: Mostly I worry about accidentally turning the camera on and snapping an very unflattering self-portrait.

nick_r

@BSARAHI, @AGENTC3: Like you, the suggestion struck me as nothing new, as I've been doing this my whole life. Yes, even as a student, it's entirely possible to go a day without phone, tv, or Internet.

chaitov

The first day is the hardest. After that, it become easier. The key is to have something interesting to do. But not a big deal unless you're an addictive personality. Then...

DougGreen

i don't know about whole nights. i'm sure i could. it's not that hard to get away from teh puter or tv... the phone presents the biggest challenge, but it's not like climbing everest.

i already limit myself daily. no puter after 11:30pm.
anything that's updated or sent after that time can wait til morning.
or so i tell myself when i'm laying on the couch craving webforums.

cardsharp

I read this post, and immediately felt an intense twang of discomfort at the thought of being offline for an evening. I think that says a lot about how badly I need to incorporate this (or something like it) into my life.

I manage to get offline pretty easily for time with family, friends, or the girl, but when it's just me and my head, it's a nightmare to wrench myself away from my computer.

FullFlava

I'm opposed to anything that gets more people into scrapbooking!

jefuchs

We've been doing this since "screens" were etched in stone. We call it Shabbat. Sure, we're doing it for faith reasons, but it's still a night off of screens (and all other electronics, for that matter) and a night "on" for really great meals at home, amazing discussions with my kids, and, sometimes, new highs in my relationship with my spouse.

agentc3

I work in IT, so I stay off any screens probably around two nights a week, and stay off the Internet most weekends. I prefer life.

bugmenot21

Can I get her to write a note to my boss excusing me from being on-call one night a week? That would be awesome.

Matt Stratton

To me this idea is not internet specific, its just an application of the ancient tradition of the sabbath: Its good for people's minds and spirits to take one day a week off from getting things done and live in the moment and relish the sensation of just being alive.

AndyFromTucson

I do this already! :) Nothing electronic for 25 hours, Friday to Saturday.

BSarahI

Interesting that the alternative activities don't include praying or any other religious activity.

Even non-denominational meditation is a good idea.

bachcottage

This is definitely worth a shot. I think I might start this week.

impassive

I am a screenhead. I've come to the conclusion that it's not the healthiest way for me to foster intimacy with friends and family. This year I am giving up my livejournal (read it 15 times a day, posted about 5), and all internet from 3-7pm weekedays.

I started my fast one week ago. I have made dinner every night (from scratch), had 4 house guests, wrote 20 pages of a nonfiction project, cleaned in my home every day, practiced piano for at least 1 hour per day, made twice as many family phone calls, and gone to the pub 2-3 times for happy hour.

All this extra activity has lifted a 2 month depression, made my life relatively stress free, and (after nearly a decade of being an LJ junkie) I am able to see how constant input has had a negative impact in various areas of my life. I AM VERY HAPPY.

bookofchange

I think this idea might help you get to know completely different aspects of your day.
If you usually watch TV news while having breakfast you might as well take a look at the newspapers. Personally I hold the view that I couldn't manage to live without any kind of (screen) technology for a whole 24 hours.
It means that you even have to do without iPod and simple CD-Players - I think that's impossible. I don't know whether listening to the radio (which I normally do extremely rarely) is allowed?

CrunchFlake

Imagine all the unread RSS feeds you'd have to go through spending one day offline, it'd take me a full day to recover. Screw that!

ZacBlacMac

I see my girlfriend on the weekend and for almost 24 hours I don't have access to a computer. I don't mind it at all and it does make you feel better in the end.
Funny that rss feeds slow to a trickle from Friday night to Monday lunch (aussie time of course) ;)
I went away on a cruise ship for 2 weeks. Checking rss feeds on a less than 56K satellite connection at $10 per 15 minutes... no I am not addicted at all.... stop looking at me like that...

simmo