No Apple Watch, no laptop, no television, no iPhone... what is this 1824? No, it's 2020 and my new experiment.
This past week without social media has shown me that I don't need social media. I've become less focused on it and focused on other things. When I get bored, I've found other things to occupy my mind than social media. Well, it's mainly been watching Disney+. This week has been a great week and really helped me grow a lot. So, it got me thinking, what can I do next? What can I do to improve myself and grow? What else can I do to possibly inspire others? Or to make others do the complete opposite thing? And it came to me...
No electronic devices. I've decided to go without a phone, laptop, Apple Watch, and television for ONE WEEK. I've purchased an alarm clock and battery powered watch to keep track of time.
This experiment is a hard one. I've gone without social media before, for two years. However, there has never gone a day where I haven't gone without electronic devices. You can possibly count the time I went to Peru, but I wouldn't count that. That wasn't necessarily a voluntary action. I guess going on the trip was voluntary, but I had to give up my electronic devices. This will be the first time I am living my full life, but giving up electronics.
Before I move onto what I hope to accomplish from this, I will put a disclaimer that I won't be 100% away from electronic devices. The exception is using the computer at Taco Bell, but that is basically for taking orders, so it doesn't really count.
What do I hope to accomplish from this?
I hope to have a better appreciation for technology when I am finished. I want to be able to recognize the power behind technology and how much it is needed in my life.
In addition to having a better appreciation, I also hope to recognize how much control technology has over my life. We rely so much on technology, we don't ever take time away from it and to appreciate other parts of life. So, although I hope to learn how I need it so much, I also hope to learn how I don't need it.
Another goal of my mine is to focus more time on reading, including my scripture study. I haven't been very good with my scripture study and I want to focus more on it. I hope that I'll have more time to focus my mind on important things instead of just watching tv and playing games.
I understand this may be a struggle to comprehend because I'll be away from text messages and emails, things that are necessary, but I think it'll help me. There is nothing super important that I'll need from my emails or text messages. In fact, maybe I'll appreciate that even more.
In the end, this may end up being a giant struggle and I may not even survive it, but it never hurts to try. It never hurts to challenge myself and push myself to my limits.
I plan on getting off tonight and staying off until next Monday. I will update you guys on what I learned next week. And depending on how I feel, I may even get back onto social media for a quick day too. It all depends on how I feel.
Until then, I am signing off and I'll talk to all of you next week.
-Michael Skaggs
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