Disconnect to Connect
Recently, I was hospitalised. The doctor knew I was a digital native - and he enforced an eDetox on me. He confiscated my iDevices, and left me with just a few of my books, my Moleskine, and my thoughts. His initial reasoning to me was to make sure that I will rest.
Day 1. I couldn’t get used to it. I was moody- and I felt “cut-off”.
Day 2. I slept the day away- and had more sleep than I’ve ever had since the start of 2013.
Day 3. The magic happened. I heard my thoughts clearer like I have never did before. By getting cut-off from the digital world, I was more tuned in to my inner voice, and more focused on making connections with the thoughts that have been baking in my head.
My Moleskine was filled with pages of insights I drew from these connections, which functioned as inspiration for my writing and my work.
Day 4. I got my iDevices back- and I decided to perform an experiment.
I disabled all my notifications, closed my eyes for 10 minutes, and thought about nothing.
Yes, nothing.
When I opened my eyes again, I experienced a tranquility & a connection with my intuition which I have never felt before. I felt recharged- emotionally, intellectually, and physiologically.
I am a digital native, and I work in an industry that demands connectivity. I was guilty of always being connected through my eDevices - and sacrificed on connecting more with the most powerful device on Earth- the Brain.
This eDetox taught me a few lessons.
Disconnect to be Creative. If you want to think creatively, start connecting less with digital devices, and more with your brain- for there is simply no replacement for that device.
Disconnect to Recharge. Think about nothing for 10 minutes. I have practiced this every morning since I was discharged, and I have found myself to have more focus, have better control of my emotions, and harness more creativity throughout the entire day.
Disconnect Bytes for more Life. Don’t sacrifice the act of being social “offline” in order to be social “online”.The depth and extent of real-life connections - your loved ones, your family, and your friends, are more precious than your Klout score and your Instagram uploads.
Disconnect to Engage your Subconscious. Sleep More. Don’t lose sleep over a problem you can’t solve. Sleeping on a problem you can’t solve will give you better answers the next morning,
Disconnect to listen to your Intuition. Creativity is a function of insight and intuition. If you don’t tune out your distractions, you can’t connect with your inner voice- and you simply can’t tap into your intuition. Creativity is less of a random spark of genius, but more of a life-skill honed by discipline and your inner connectivity.
I’ll be disconnecting more often now to improve my mental health, recharge better, focus on building relationships, and to be more creative. I might also grab a glass of wine too. Will you join me?
