Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong decade/century. While I definitely see the utility in email and texting, and technology in general, sometimes I think we need to make a more conscious effort to disconnect and unplug. Oprah has a campaign to stop texting while driving, but the “No phone zone” should extend to the dining room table and bedroom.
Since finishing school and moving back to live full-time with R, we have informally decided to have a “Year of Yes”. What exactly this means, we are still defining. Four years is a long time to have only spent the weekends together and I’m sure the life experiences we’ve had over these years have changed us. So, we just want to take time to focus on “us” and living life “together” once again.
Anyhow, this “Year of Yes” will hopefully have us saying “No” to one thing.
Here’s the email I wrote to R today:
During the Year of Yes, let’s say NO to phones at the dinner table and right when we wake up. Let’s say YES to more conversations and YES to more experiencing the present!
http://www.realmomnutrition.com/2012/08/16/why-life-got-better-when-my-smartphone-died/
Are you in Dr. Mr. H??!!?
Love,
Mrs. Dr. H
Out of the 2 of us, he’s probably the one who will have a harder time with this, especially at the dinner table. But we’ll see.
I recently read an article about productivity that suggested not checking your email for the first hour of your day. Brilliant. Why didn’t I think of this? I’ve been practicing this for about a week now. It definitely takes discipline, but I think it’s a habit that I’m going to keep around.
Oh, and here’s another reason I should probably spend less time on my phone. I dropped it on my garage floor about a week ago. Nothing like an ugly phone to discourage you from using it.
Comment Love: What about you? Do you find the phone [or insert other technology] invading more and more of your life? Are you constantly and compulsively checking Facebook, Twitter, or the weather just because it’s right at your fingertips? What steps are you taking to “be more present”?
Pocket of Full Life 
I am always checking the computer because I don’t know how to work my phone. I do think this distracts from family time and giving my family my full attention. We unplugged from all technology for a month and after the initial withdrawl it was pretty glorious.
How in the world did you get the Mr. to agree to that? And I’m curious…what did this month of “unplugging” involve?