5 Ways to Survive the Global Day of Unplugging

March 3 marks the Global Day of Unplugging, a 24-hour span from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. You’re encouraged to put down your smartphone, ignore your Roku, disconnect your Amazon Echo, and return to the old ways of doing things for a little bit.

Why would anybody want to do that? Well, the research into the effects of all these screens and pipelines of information is showing that our tender human brains are getting seriously warped. Studies show the average smartphone user checks their device over 80 times(Opens in a new window) and spends more than five hours online every day. That’s a huge chunk of time that could be used in other ways.

In 2009, a group called the Unplug Collaborative launched the first annual National Day of Unplugging (renamed to Global this year) to raise awareness of the disruptive effects of technology on our lives. If you want to take the plunge, here are some tips for surviving the Global Day Of Unplugging with your sanity intact. Just don’t make it a permanent thing—we don’t want to have to print out our new stories and hand-deliver them to you every day.

1. Warn People in Advance

One of the most unpleasant things about this always-connected world is that people expect you to be available all the time. Especially in this post-COVID era of remote work, the boundaries between on-the-clock time and personal time have become very flimsy. If you plan to be offline for 24 hours, commit to it by reaching out to people who may try to contact you in that time—co-workers, family members, and friends—and telling them you’re participating in the Day of Unplugging.

Set auto-responders up on your email accounts, as you would if you were going on vacation. Put your phone into do-not-disturb mode and set up an auto-responder there as well, one that includes a way to contact you in case of emergency. You don’t want to worry about missing anything important, because your brain will definitely try to convince you to check in otherwise.

2. Prevent Accidental Exposure

It’s not likely that you’re going to purposefully pick up a screen when you’ve made the commitment to avoid them for a day. The bigger worry is that you’re so habituated to checking your phone every time it beeps or dings—or even when it doesn’t—that you’ll power it on out of force of habit. To prevent that, after you set your phone in do-not-disturb mode, place it in a box, cabinet, or any location that takes effort to get to and open. The extra step of putting your phone in a zipped plastic bag can give you a little psychological backup to avoid breaking your tech fast.

For other electronics—computers, game consoles, and so on—you’re going to have to do a little more. One of the easiest ways to ensure that you don’t succumb to temptation is by removing the power cords from these devices and hiding them; that way you don’t have to do any major reorganizing when your screen detox is over, but it’s enough of a hassle to get them out and hook them up that you’ll think twice before you cheat.

3. Don’t Do It Alone

A big part of the thought process behind the Day of Unplugging is to encourage people to make real-life connections instead, and the Unplug Collaborative(Opens in a new window) maintains a database of nationwide events happening during those 24 hours. Past years have seen friends and strangers come together to color, knit, cook and serve food, read, build forts, and more. Whether you want to attend something like that or plan an event yourself, use this day as an opportunity to socialize.

Again, though, make sure you reach out to the people you are planning to spend time with, and let them know about your digital detox. There’s nothing more tempting than someone with a phone asking to show you just one TikTok video. If your cohorts know that you’re participating in a 24-hour unplug, hopefully they’ll be nice enough not to ruin it for you.

4. Fill Your Day

The biggest enemy that you’re going to have to fight during the Global Day of Unplugging is boredom. It’s such a reflex for most of us to turn to our screens when we don’t have anything else to do. The absolute best way to avert that temptation is to keep these 24 hours full of things to do. One recommendation that comes up a lot is to make a list on a piece of paper of possible activities. Scheduling some things for specific times and leaving other times open will keep your plans from feeling like chores. 

These activities can be big or small, expensive or free. There are no boundaries as long as you keep your eyes and hands away from a screen. Jonesing to scratch that video-game itch? Try doing an escape room with some friends or playing games at a bar, such as pool or shuffleboard. Break out a board game to keep the brain engaged. Exercise is also a great way to occupy yourself: Getting your body moving by walking, running, or playing sports will elevate your mood, kill some time, and get you out into the world.

5. Be of Service

The thing about the digital world is that it can be a very selfish place. You feel like the center of the universe when you’re looking at it through a little glowing screen, and your perspective is easily warped by the fakes and frauds you see. As an antidote, making time to volunteer in your actual, physical community can not only re-center your perceptions but also help you feel more valid and valuable as a human being.

No matter how you spend your Day of Unplugging, we hope you come out the other end with a new appreciation for both the real world and the digital one. After you’re done, check in with yourself and see how you feel. You might be surprised by how much difference a day away from your screens can mean. It’s probably impossible to live in the modern world and completely disengage with technology, but having mindfulness about the way you interact with it can make you a more complete, healthy, and happy person.

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