I love when I my clients teach me things. Usually they inform me about current events and trends, and sometimes they show me new exercise moves {and usually they regret that later Lol}

Around the holidays, a client came in and said “I think I need to go on a tech fast.”

I said – “What’s that!? Tell me more!”

I love a good challenge to interrupt my patterns and habits.

What’s a tech fast?

Simple – remove yourself from technology for a period of time.

GASP.

I can feel you getting nervous.

Why would you consider going on a tech fast?

1. Because you think you can’t or it’s going to be hard.

Anything in your life that feels like an addiction could benefit from a break now and then. You get to decide the terms. It could be a 12 hour break or a weekend break. It could be all technology or just your phone.

2. To force yourself to explore your surroundings.

If you’re like most people, you have your face and attention in your phone most of the time and you totally miss out on what’s happening right in front of you. An extended period with “no phone” could open your eyes to something beautiful. You won’t know unless you experiment.

3. To reduce stress.

Not to get all science on you, but all our gadgets and notifications are making our brains work on overdrive. It’s like cocaine. Seriously. Your brain needs a break!

So, I tried it.

I committed to no social media, emails or notifications on Thanksgiving Day. Yes, it was easier to stick with it on a day where I was around family and friends and not in my normal pattern.

I responded to some text messages and took a few pictures, and the rest just had to wait.

I didn’t die.

I survived!

I was nice to not be attached to my phone or hear the constant ‘dings’. A few times I caught myself picking up my phone and going to an app and stopped: “Oh no! Not today, Lauren!”

That made me realize that I really needed this tech fast break.

The lesson : Be mindful and purposeful

I really want to be mindful and purposeful on all the things that I do, even when it is something as simple as getting off the Internet for a while.

The weekend is a perfect time to try something new.

You can try a tech fast from something that you feel you are really attached to, or perhaps too attached to, or something you wish wasn’t quite a compulsive or mindless action.

Give it a try!

Send me a note and tell me how it goes!

This is Part 10 in a series called Life Hacks!  Here’s Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,  8, and 9 if you missed it.  

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