30 Things That Changed When I Took An Unplugged Day Every Week

“My imagination functions much better when I don’t have to speak to people.”
~ Patricia Highsmith

In January this year I made an important decision. I have a life where I am almost always on call. Always connected and reachable. Always busy. Even though I work for myself and love my work, and I certainly don’t work every hour of every day, I had reached a point where I was doing some kind of work every day.

So this year I decided to make a change and designated Sunday as my unplugged day.

I made some simple rules for this unplugged day:

• no work
• no blogging
• not even a skerrick of work
• no social media
• no checking emails
• no checking my phone
• no surfing the net
• no games on my phone or tablet
• no saying yes to invitations out of duty or obligation
• no answering my cell phone (only family, close friends and neighbours have our home phone number)
• no time at the mall, or shopping or doing other ‘duties’

I admit that it was awkward at first. I was jonesing to check my emails. Or my facebook feed. Or to use my time to catch up on work.

And I did an awful lot of sleeping on my first few Sundays off.

Did I mention the guilt at not being productive?

But after a month or so I settled into having this space just for me and my loved ones. I began to look forward to Sundays. And this is what I discovered:

1. I began to hear and know my own voice again
2. I slept better
3. I began to remember who I was before I got so busy
4. My priorities changed
5. My garden got some love
6. I enjoyed being with my partner rather than resenting him for constantly interrupting my work, or feeling guilty for setting aside work to be with him
7. During the work week I found myself refreshed and ideas came more easily
8. There was time for me to do the things I love
9. There was time to do nothing, if that was what I felt like doing
10. I began to dream about my future, and to make plans more aligned with my soul energy rather than just a business blueprint
11. My creativity began to flow again
12. I began to take better care of my health
13. I let go of relationships that I’d held on to because of duty or habit or fear of loss
14. I felt better about myself and my place in the world
15. I became more content with myself and my life
16. I was more confident in my decision-making
17. I connected more deeply with nature
18. I connected more deeply with my creative projects
19. I lost interest in constantly checking social media on days other than Sunday
20. I became more aware of time wasters in my daily life
21. I needed less stuff and less stimulation
22. I became more mindful
23. I began to see relationships more clearly once I got a little thinking space. I saw that some needed more love and time, and others were draining me while giving me nothing in return.
24. I created more and consumed less
25. I felt happier
26. I began to perceive myself differently
27. My life began to flow better and all manner of synchronicities occurred, or maybe I was just in the space to finally notice them
28. I read more
29. I napped and felt good about napping
30. I began to understand that one unplugged day wasn’t enough and began creating stronger boundaries in my daily life

Enough time has passed now that I am confident in recommending a totally unplugged day to you too. You might be equally surprised and satisfied with your own outcomes.

Much love, Nicole <3  xx