What will you give to be able to disconnect (just for a while)?
We are totally connected. At least most of us. We are always available, always updated, always being notified on something happening in some app on some device. At the same time we are totally disconnected… from the real world.
Most of us know in real time when there’s a new potentially viral video in our feed. We respond to text messages in a split of a second. And we just love to like/share/respond (and soon dislike) to almost anything… without even reading two sentences. But when was the last time we actually looked around us, or better still, looked someone in the eyes?
A new kickstarter project offers the amazing NoPhone – a great way to get disconnect from the virtual world and get reconnected to what’s important.
But seriously, it is much easier than that. You don’t really have to give up your phone and settle for a plastic rectangle. Our attention is eventually limited and also pretty much at the same level all the time (when we are awake of course). The only question is how it is distributed, or where it is directed. So, let’s rephrase the issue: we don’t really need to disconnect. On the contrary: we need to reconnect. Reconnect to the world around us. And for that, the first step would be simply to look around instead of looking down at your smartphone screen.
Try it. Stop reading for a minute, and look around you. It doesn’t matter if you are on the street, in the office, on the train, or at home. There’s so much to see around. You just need to look mindfully, and you’ve just gained a whole minute of disconnecting from the online “world”, and reconnecting to the real world. It’s so easy. And the best part is, you haven’t really missed anything. If something important (or fun) just came up, you will know about it, don’t worry.
And while you’re at it, if you happened to find something cool, strange, funny, uplifting, or just beautiful when you took your eyes off the nearest screen and you feel you have an urge to share it back in the virtual world, go ahead. You might just inspire someone else to open his eyes and reconnect to the world.
And if you need a little help – that small trigger to help you look around you with the intent to reconnect to the world – try a random seempli seed. It will open your mind to what’s around you…
seempli you soon,
Lidor