26 things you can do to unplug yourself.
I used to think it would be cool to be Amish. But I love dancing. And movies. And wine. And my iPhone. And clothes with zippers. Shiite. I guess I wouldn’t be that good at being Amish (I don’t think they care for swearing much either.) You don’t have to go all-out Amish, but getting unplugged from time to time would be a good idea.
I work hard, and am completely absorbed when I’m working. But I also play hard, and try to stay unplugged while I’m playing. There’s a time for movies and television, but if you want to get done with your down time and feel like you’ve made the most of it, take some time off from all the glowing screens and try one of these instead.
1. Read a book.
2. Lie in the grass and look at the stars.
3. Go for a bike ride to nowhere in particular.
4. Write a poem.
6. Hit the Farmers’ Market and then go on a picnic.
7. Paint a picture. No paints? Doodle!
8. Bake an apple pie.
9. Write a letter. You know, the kind that goes in an envelope and has one of those little stamps on it.
10. Dance. Bonus points for dancing in public. (Super bonus points if you are making the music yourself!)
11. Take your favorite animal or child for a walk.
12. Howl. No, really, it’s a lot of fun!
13. Play checkers.
14. Play Ultimate Frisbee.
16. Then, jump in the leaves.
17. Make love: with a friend, or with your best friend.
18. Have a long talk about nothing important. Lather, rinse, repeat.
19. Soak in a hot bath.
20. Buy some lemons. Slice one open. Hold it in your hand. Inhale deeply.
21. Then, make some lemonade.
22. Climb to the highest spot you can find and look around at how amazing it all is, and how small you are.
23. Go for a swim. Not laps. Just dive in, use the slide, cannonball–have fun!
24. Experiment. My little brother used to say “Whappenif?” all the time when we were kids. Play it by yourself. With someone else. What would happen if? And then try it and see what happens.
25. Start a conversation with a stranger. I do this at least once a week. Rarely does it turn out that the person is actually a stranger.
26. Nothing. Do absolutely nothing. Sit. Look at the sky. Or don’t even do that. Stick with sitting.
What’s your favorite thing to do that doesn’t have buttons or beeps or a plug or a screen?
Read 7 Comments and Reply
Read 7 comments and reply