How do you actually unplug in the 21st century?

It’s been over a year since the pandemic started turning everything upside down, forcing all of us to migrate our entire lives online just to stay sane—school, work, everything. Honestly, I’ve spent more time staring at a screen this past year than I ever thought possible. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those tech-haters who thinks modern gadgets have ruined society, but this constant connectivity is killing me. It’s just exhausting. By the time I finish grinding through all the digital obligations that used to be handled in person, I don't even have the energy left for the stuff I actually enjoy, like gaming.

Sometimes I catch myself thinking, "Man, just take a break and go do something else, you don't need to be glued to a monitor 24/7," but then reality hits. There’s always some notification, some email, or some task that requires me to jump back on.

It’s a bit depressing, really. I can't seem to find a way to stop checking my smartphone every two seconds. I feel like one of those people in those old meme photos where they're trying to make the point that we've basically become slaves to our devices.🤦

I’m curious if anyone else is feeling this burnout, and if so, how are you stepping away from it all? Personally, I dug out an old laptop running Windows XP, and that’s actually what I’m typing this on right now. It’s pretty much useless for anything other than Minesweeper and Internet Explorer anyway (not that I need anything else right now, I guess😁).

Jesse Bailey75 said:Internet Explorer

🤣

You can hang with friends, read a book, flip an apartment, start a co-op, wreck someone's garden, get lost on Mount Rainier and call the U.S. Census Bureau, charm some babe, cook new food, learn Chinese characters, or start some DIY projects... but turning on an old PC running Internet Explorer? That ain't it. 😁

Jesse Bailey75 said:How on earth do you actually escape the internet in this century?

If we’re talking about a computer, the solution is pretty simple—you just stand up and walk away. A smartphone is a much more complicated beast, though, because you have to actually leave it somewhere else before you can even think about walking away.

#firstworldproblems

First things first. Who are you to be talking about the law?☕

Camping with sausages on a stick? 😍

Seriously, people, learn how to knit, tailor, sew, or at least patch up a pair of socks 🙂

dustypilot11 said:Camping with sausages on sticks? 😍

When was that? Back in the seventies?😲

Grace Sanders24 said:When was that? The seventies?😲

Believe it or not, there's more where that came from. But not while you're sitting there in bed with your computer still running. 😁

dustypilot11 said:Believe it or not, people still do this. Just not while they're lying in bed with their computer running. 😁

No way. Who’s actually doing that anymore? Probably some cavemen.😲

Nicole Myers checking in: I'm currently busy mending some socks. 🍿

Why make things harder than they need to be? 😁
Just shut the laptop, get out of the house, and go wander through town. Take some photos, head out to a park, maybe hit up somewhere near Mount Rainier to recharge. You really need to clear out all that negative energy you pick up by just sitting there, stuck in one spot, staring at a screen whether it’s a laptop or a smartphone.

Keep the phone strictly for calls and stop scrolling while you're out and about.
It’s actually pretty easy to log out of your apps. 😁

There are so many great things to do offline that are a million times better than just tapping away at a keyboard.

Honestly, I think people have just killed off their own creativity with all this nonsense we can access with a single click on a phone or a computer.

They used to say getting out into nature was the cure-all, but apparently, that doesn't hold up anymore. I even resisted buying a smartphone for the longest time, trying to push back against the trend. Now? It feels far too late for such resistance; I'll just be rushing up Mount Rainier with a selfie.

I’ve finally reached the point where I’ve started taking a selfie of this pathetic excuse for a forest; I suppose this is how it ends.

I recently sat down to watch a rather sweet little film with my girlfriend 😁

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8521876/

It is one of those family comedies where they also touch upon the complexities of the internet as a modern dilemma 😁

Could you please stop sending me such disturbing private messages? Have you all lost your minds?

It’s becoming nearly impossible to even look for work anymore; everything has shifted toward those Facebook groups where people just post flyers for odd jobs everywhere.

I’m plugged in all day long, and honestly, I don't mind one bit. But once the weekend hits? I’m completely off the grid.

I prefer to take in the view from high above. Much like Aslan does.

Hugin really works wonders.

hiddenmarlin14 said:Seriously people, learn how to knit, cut fabric, sew, or even just darn a pair of socks🙂

I basically stitch together panoramic images. I can fit 26 of them into a single sphere.

Personally, I find nature far more rewarding than most people. Dealing with the general public is often a disappointing endeavor, isn't it? There is something truly restorative about heading out for a hike in the Rockies; even if you indulge in a few drinks along the way, the experience remains magical. At least out there, you won't encounter those obnoxious idiots who insist on hovering over everything with their smartphones, snapping photos of every single thing they see on a Saturday afternoon. In a cynical sense, one could almost argue that the pandemic served a purpose by keeping those types at bay.