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Going offline is good for you. You connect to the real world, in ways that constant digital connectivity does not allow you to. Here is an account.
A few weeks ago, unexpected circumstances coupled with personal choices compelled me to stay away from the digital world for a day. So really, what it meant was – no e-mails, no Facebook, no Twitter, no Whatsapp. And very limited mobile phone usage as well.
I was unsure how I would live through the day. But at the end of the day – I felt wonderful! So I thought, “Why not extend this state of being for 5 days?” and the deal was sealed. There just was one hitch: given that a lot of my professional responsibilities compel me to be ‘digitally connected‘ and the fact that I love social media and blogging made it seem that it would be tough to honour the self-made deal.. Nevertheless, I was determined to make an attempt.
And I did manage to be on a Digital Detox Diet for almost 5 days.
The whole experience was an eye-opener; and also made me realize so many things about myself, digital/social media, people, relationships, and life itself.
In this post, I am sharing the life lessons I took away at the end of this diet.
The real-world has a beauty, charm, magic and experiences which can never be lived in the digital world. Most of them are way better than the digital world!
The real-world and digital-world are similar in some sense – in terms of who inhabits them (people, right? Not robots yet!), but so different – in terms of what they bring out in you and what you take-away for each.
There is a digital world beyond the real-world, and a real-world beyond the digital world. Where one ends and the other starts is tough the say. It is a continuum.
As a thought, YOLO (You Live Only Once) – in the real world is more powerful and empowering than FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) – in the digital world. You miss out on a lot of real-life moments when you are digitally tuned-in all the time
In the digital world, beyond a point – nobody bothers or cares. Simply because there is so much digital content to consume every single second!
Quality and Quantity of time matter – for both the real-world and digital world. Be conscious of the choices you make, and their trade-offs.
The digital / social world is addictive, and somewhat toxic after a point. Keep a watch on your patterns and behaviour.
At the end of it all, I strongly recommend some day(s) of self-imposed digital detox diets. It does good to you and those around you. Ever been on a digital detox diet? What did it teach you? Leave a comment to let us know.
Digital world image via Shutterstock
Working Mom • Marketologist - Digital Artisan - Brand Storyteller • Ideapreneur • Writer - Blogger - Columnist • IIMB Alumni • Mentor • Horizon Gazer • Alchemist • Creator - Connector - Catalyst - Collaborator - Community Builder • Chief Happiness Officer of my Life read more...
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I huffed, puffed and panted up the hill, taking many rest breaks along the way. My calf muscles pained, my heart protested, and my breathing became heavy at one stage.
“Let’s turn back,” my husband remarked. We stood at the foot of Shravanbelagola – one of the most revered Jain pilgrimage centres. “We will not climb the hill,” he continued.
My husband and I were vacationing in Karnataka. It was the month of May, and even at the early hour of 8 am in the morning, the sun scorched our backs. After visiting Bangalore and Mysore, we had made a planned stop at this holy site in the Southern part of the state en route to Hosur. Even while planning our vacation, my husband was very excited at the prospect of visiting this place and the 18 m high statue of Lord Gometeshwara, considered one of the world’s tallest free-standing monolithic statues.
What we hadn’t bargained for was there would be 1001 granite steps that needed to be climbed to have a close-up view of this colossal magic three thousand feet above sea level on a hilltop. It would be an understatement to term it as an arduous climb.
Every daughter, no matter how old, yearns to come home to her parents' place - ‘Home’ to us is where we were brought up with great care till marriage served us an eviction notice.
Every year Dugga comes home with her children and stays with her parents for ten days. These ten days are filled with fun and festivity. On the tenth day, everyone gathers to feed her sweets and bids her a teary-eyed adieu. ‘Dugga’ is no one but our Goddess Durga whose annual trip to Earth is scheduled in Autumn. She might be a Goddess to all. But to us, she is the next-door girl who returns home to stay with her parents.
When I was a child, I would cry on the day of Dashami (immersion) and ask Ma, “Why can’t she come again?” My mother would always smile back.
I mouthed the same dialogue as a 23-year-old, who was home for Durga Puja. This time, my mother graced me with a reply. “Durga is fortunate to come home at least once. But many have never been home after marriage.”
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