We are tethered to our digital devices like never before. One company aims to change that with a digital detox campaign.
According to one travel guide publisher, we all spend waaaay to much time on our smartphones and computers: “… an astounding 11 hours a day in front of some kind of screen, be it a personal computer, television, tablet, or phone,” writes Julia Cosgrove in AFAR.
“At AFAR, we believe that travel offers the chance to step away from the never-ending noise and distractions of modern life, and actually connect with your fellow humans—and the real world—again,” Cosgrove explains. “That’s why I’m especially excited about #TravelUnplugged, AFAR’s new digital detox campaign.”
The concept is fairly simple: Commit to taking one trip between now and September and don’t use your phone or computer. This is pretty ironic coming from a company like AFAR who offers fully customizable digital travel guide experiences. But they also print a magazine, so they totally grok the beauty of the unplugged experience.
And of course, they are encouraging their followers to share their unplugged commitment by … well … by sharing their experiences once they get back to the land of bits and bytes.
“I hope you’ll take the pledge, go somewhere, and do something a little—or a lot—outside your comfort zone. Engage with the world at large, and then, when you re-enter the digital realm, tell us about your experience via the hashtag #TravelUnplugged,” she explains.
I think traveling unplugged is a great idea. Most of do need to step back from the screens and enjoy life in the moment. But just maybe, when you return, you’ll want to keep the experience all to yourself.