One of my wishes for 2013 is to have unplugged days - days without the distractions of a computer. I have realized that the computer consumes way too much of my days, especially my Etsy store and Facebook. I don't really surf very much, but I sure like my social media. Whereas it is nice to connect online I also find it distracting to what I really want to do and achieve. I am very determined to reduce my daily online time, and I decided to have one completely computer-free day a week.
The best day for this is Saturday.
And so I unplugged yesterday for the first time in this year, and I hope to stay with this "resolution" throughout of 2013. I had such an enjoyable day. I spent many hours in my studio, making little Valentine cards for kids that they can take to their classroom parties, and when all that was done I finally started painting again. A vision has been going through my mind for a week and now I finally sat down and started to put this vision on wood. As soon as I can see where it is going to I will blog about it in this space. At the moment I just got the base down, using quite a lot of molding paste.
In the middle of the day, Kaefer and I went to Jamba Juice and had some wonderful juice creations that tasted like summer. I like to spend time with her away from home, just her and I, when she gets funny and very talkative. For several days she has been fighting a cold, especially a rather nasty cough. She has a concert in two weeks and wants to be on top of her voice by then. A little juice and a lot of vitamin C will help her with that.
I also had time to read without feeling guilty. Currently I'm reading "Grow Your Handmade Business" by Kari Chapin which of course serves my word of the year perfectly. She has some exercises included, and I always read that book with my journal close by in order to do those exercises (and not saying "I do that later" which is more to my procrastinating nature). It is quite helpful I have to say, and I was rather surprised what was just flowing out of me while I was writing. I have to be careful not to fall into a whining tone here!
There was time to cook as well. At the end of the year I really had lost my cooking muse and just felt it was a chore I didn't particularly like. I didn't even look into cook books any more, I was not interested in finding and trying new recipes - something I usually like to do. I just got "easy and quick" things to cook at Costco and Trader Joe's which made incredibly dull and boring dinners. But most times I just couldn't find the energy to stand in the kitchen and cook. I am the only one who cooks in this family, the Geek hates cooking and Kaefer has way too many other things to do. So I am the one who cooks day in day out, and honestly, it gets old and boring, especially when no one in the family answers when I ask them what they would like to eat. Sometimes I'm out of my wits to think about what to cook. See, I'm whining again. Anyway, since winter break, when I got more sleep (and a rather bad cold that gave me lots of excuse to lie on the couch and rest), my cooking muse is on her way back, and I rather enjoy this. So I cooked up a storm yesterday evening, had a little wine while cooking (something I thoroughly enjoy) and we had a wonderful dinner, one of our most favorite dishes of all time. I think I need to blog about that one sometime.
In short, this unplugged day was a blessing! There will be way more unplugged Saturdays this year. It just feels good to be away from the computer and not to be seduced by all its distractions.
Do you have unplugged days?? And how do you spend them?
12 comments:
What timing! I'm sitting here watching Dateline on NBC TV and four gals are unplugged for two weeks! Now reading your post, I'm going to give it serious thought. I like the thoughts of an unplugged day! I'm sure it will be so productive! Great!
This might be something that I will have to try this year. It's harder when you have an iPhone. Happy New Year.
I have not had the courage to unplug for a full 24 hours, but this marvelous post has encouraged me to give it go! I am sure that I would be far more productive - and creative - if I would disconnect from the computer on a regular basis.
What a wonderful, wonderful idea. I think I have to follow suit. And limit my time on the computer on days when I am connected.
We unplug every Saturday too -- for our Sabbath. It's such a wonderful practice and really helps us unwind and re-energize. We usually spend time with family or friends, have some slow meals, read, and do nothing. The computer really can be so addicting, especially that social media stuff.
Aaah - we seem to be on the same wavelength here! I too have decided to take one day a weekend away from all of the noise of my computer!!! Altho - this first time - it felt a little odd..it also felt incredibly free-ing. Time for real life!!!
WOW, Carola. Good for you. It actually sounds wonderful and I do believe it could make a lot of difference to most of us. I have started to color again...and that's a start! :)
As an aside, I did all our cooking during my 21 years of marriage. After our divorce, and once Bill remarried, I found out he does most of the cooking now. It made me realize that if he had cooked on the weekends while we were together, it would have been a wonderful break for me...and a good challenge for him. But he probably enjoys cooking more than Geek does. HA!
I love my unplugged weeks, yes, weeks. They are spent in the Austrian and they are sooooooo relaxing! :) Wishing you good luck and a Happy New Year!
I had a lot of unplugged days over the holiday weeks and it felt good. I read a lot, cooked great meals, went for walks, watched TV and meditated on the new year.
I will blog less too; one can’t really write all the time about something interesting, I don’t have enough ideas now.
I was becoming a slave to the computer, no more!
Happy New Year, Carola.
Carola, I haven't tried a whole day (see iphone comment above!)but I have times of the day when I work undistracted. Since a lot of my photo work and class planning is on the computer, it's tricky... I have to turn my email off so I don't hear those little chimes! (even then,I can hear them on the phone in the other room... )Also, since my studio is a separate building without a computer, that time is unplugged.
I really like the idea - kudos for trying it and I hope you end up sticking to it!
Sounds wonderful! I'm not sure I could do it, but I know I'd love to unplug my kids for one day each week. Maybe I can convince one of them to try with me.
Rinda
I should try this as I do feel at times that technology ties us so much and replaces and fills time saved by labour saving appliances. I'd hate to be hand washing clothes and dishes and lighting coal fires again... but what have I used the time for???
BTW the little fraulein converses so well in both German and English. Her Papa only speaks German to her and Mamma English. She laughs heartily at anything Dave and I say in German then corrects us! Her language levels are excellent and she changes from one to the other seamlessly!
Love jo x
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