If you've been meaning to take a little vacation from your overly-connected life, today is the perfect day. The National Day Of Unplugging officially begins today at sundown and lasts until Saturday, March 7th. The annual event is in its 6th year and was started by the organization Reboot as a way to incorporate traditional Jewish rituals into the modern world.
The event is inspired by The Sabbath Manifesto, a Jewish tradition of turning off electronics and abstaining from work for one day per week. To participate in the National Day of Unplugging, you can sign the unplugging pledge which reads "I pledge to unplug during the National Day of Unplugging on March 6-7, 2015. I understand that the important first step is to unplug for as long as I can, even if it is not the full day."
"This year we expect at least 20,000 people will participate in unplugging activities worldwide, but the reach is much broader," Tanya Schevitz, spokesperson for Reboot's National Day Of Unplugging, told The Huffington Post.
Schevitz recommends planning out your day with activities to make sure you don't get too restless. Of course, the modern world's relationship with technology has a variety of advantages and has allowed people to make connections that were not possible before. But it also has made it extremely difficult for people to have a healthy work-life balance. A study conducted last year by Randstad found that 45% of workers feel like they have to answer emails after normal work hours. It also found that 42% of workers felt obligated to check in even when on vacation.
So go ahead and read a book, get lost in thought or visit someone in your neighborhood. Your phone isn't going anywhere.
Beth Jusino | Flickr
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