6 Ways to De-Screen

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Issue 38 | June 16, 2020 | 6 Ways to De-Screen

Raise your hand if you are sick – SICK – of the internet. And your emails, and your apps, and your video calls, and all the screen-based living and working – things that felt more voluntary before covid-19. Now they seem to have a sickly aura of mandatory, as these work-from-home pandemic months continue.

If you can relate, you have plenty of company.

Recently, I conducted an informal poll of friends to find out how they de-screen when it’s time to spend a few hours offline. A number of them said, basically, I NEED SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE PASS ON WHATEVER ADVICE YOU COLLECT.

However, I also got lots of solid input on the tried-and-true methods that people use every day to transition their brains OUT of the project-hopping, mail- and news-checking loops, and INTO a calm state of real-life occupancy.

This transition skill is actually incredibly important for humans generally, but I think for “makers” in a more specific way. We may occasionally hate the internet – but we’re also responsible for making some of it. If we want to keep drawing from the well of creativity, even if it’s just to publish that monthly market update piece, we need to regularly step away from our screens and let our brains rest and renew.

Six Transition Activities That Work
The many responses I got from friends fell into six categories:

1. Go outside. At least half of the responses suggested going straight outside to de-screen. Indeed, nature is a proven source of renewal. (If you haven’t read The Nature Fix, one of my past book recommendations, do yourself a favor and read it! Easy, enjoyable read with amazing insight into nature’s beneficial effects on our brains and bodies.) Many friends said they head directly outdoors at the end of the workday and enjoy the boost it gives to their brain-shift process.
2. Move! The other most commonly mentioned trick was movement – walking the dog, taking the kids out for a scoot, going for a run, family dance party, etc. In fact, most people specifically named physical activities outdoors, a one-two punch for shutting down your screen loops and reconnecting with the non-internet world.
3. Do a solitary (screenless) game or activity. Read a book. Do a Sudoku or jigsaw puzzle. Play some solitaire with real cards. Play the piano or guitar. These kinds of solo, low-effort activities also appeared frequently in the responses of friends. When the stay-at-home orders kicked in, I ordered a 12-pack of those classic Crayola watercolor palettes to keep my kids busy – but my husband and I, unexpectedly, find ourselves voluntarily sitting down to paint our own little watery masterpieces. Turns out that paint-by-number turtles are exactly the kind of no-stakes, solo-ish activity that seems to calm and engage everyone.
4. Do a solitary hands-on job. Make dinner, fold a pile of laundry, sort out a drawer, pull some weeds, empty a dishwasher. Though these are chores (which, of course, have only multiplied number with everyone home), it’s actually pretty easy to tap into a little zen by doing something hands-on. Several respondents said they look for a small-scope transitional activity to do – alone – while they come back down to earth.
5. Blitz one (or more) of the senses. Basking in a hot shower. Soaking your feet in a cold pool. Laying in a dark room listening to favorite music or a podcast. Disappearing to smell all your candles. The internet is anti-sensory, and going on a sense-blitz can actually be an extremely effective way to zap yourself out of the ether.
6. A happy hour cocktail. To my surprise, only two respondents specifically said they turn to a glass of wine or other cocktail to de-screen, and this is not a circle of teetotalers. I found it telling how rarely this option was mentioned – while a glass of whatever can be relaxing, there’s something about it that’s not exactly a screen antidote.

A Pleasant Passage
I knew that the haphazard watercolor sessions happening over at Marsh Consulting’s headquarters were enjoyable. However, I didn’t think of them specifically as a tool to get my brain back in the real world until I pondered this topic and reflected on the responses to my informal poll. Turns out paint-by-number turtles are instrumental in my own de-internet process.

Indeed, it’s nice to have a fully stocked un-internet toolkit as we head into month four of pandemic working conditions. Whatever your transition mode of choice, I hope that these real-life inputs prove just as useful to you as they did to me!

Read on to part 2 of this series!

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