Recently a friend of mind Paula Hubbard post an article about Year of Technology replaced talking.
After reading that article and than hearing my son make a comment about Dad having his phone attached to his ear. It hit me, we do miss so much of the quality things if were not careful. Thats when I decided to GO Unplugged for the weekend.
Regular schedule: Moment I wake up, I look at the IPhone to check emails. Than I would normally spend a little time browsing FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube.
For my Insurance Business, my phone is a critical tool for day to day operations. When a client calls, I answer or return call quickly. Thats one major difference between others and me.
Friday 5 pm: I shut the phone, computer and IPAD off. No Electronics til Monday Morning. 7pm gets here and I’m thinking what am I doing!
My schedule for the weekend is crazy, Saturday 11:30 – 1:30 pm networking group, 2 pm Outreach at the church. Sunday 10 am Sunday School, Noon Service til 2:30 pm. No Phone, Ipad = Manual Bible – Old Style LOL. ” I’m missing the IPAD” Larger text for one.
Imagine No Scores, No News, I felt lost. PS: For emergency cases my wife did insist I carry a older cell phone, “No Internet, mail and could only text my kids if necessary”
Monday Morning – I woke up EARLY, excited to start the day with TOYS. I mean TOOLS for work. I thought I would let the wife appreciate the moment so I fired up the IPhone with SOUND and left the bedroom. LOL It sounded like, well DING, DING, DING, DING as all the Text, email, twitter and all other notifications came in. I stayed at the other end of the house for awhile. All in All, I believe there were over 250 emails in just 1 account. Gotta love technology!
March 30th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
250!! That is insane!! I am very proud of you! I doubted your ability to stay unplugged. =)
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Bill Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
That was just the 1 email account. I have 4 accounts that I use on a regular bases.
Love You Ashlee even tho you said I couldn’t make it! LOL
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March 30th, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Hi Bill ~ I really enjoyed reading your post and can relate as I did basically the same thing last year (except for a little longer period of time). When I did “come up for air” and get plugged back in, I felt a little behind and wondering if I missed out on anything by not being actively “out there” with social technology. I think it’s a good thing though to occasionally “un-plug” as this allows us to relax and spend time with the people we care about and not being so hung-up over the whole technology thing
Christine
Christine Casey´s last [type] ..How Can You Make Your Future Bigger Than Your Past
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Bill Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 4:12 pm
I do agree that coming up for air is good. But you do become unaware of what is happening around you.
Bill
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March 30th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
You are one brave soul Bill. I’m not as tech savvy as you and I think I’d still miss my connectivity. But I’d be willing to wager that you learned something from being unplugged. It’s what all of us strive for, the peace and tranquility of an uninterrupted life. Given that we are clinically addicted to being “engaged” on the Internet we all need a little “unplugged therapy”! Thanks for sharing. RICK
Rick Lelchuk´s last [type] ..Comment on When Is It Time to Get A Round To It by Lynn and Rick
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Bill Reply:
March 30th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
LOL Rick,
Going unplugged really was fun after a few hours. It did help since 3 or 4 people were telling me I could never do it. That was like throwing fuel in the fire that made me actually do this.
Bill
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March 30th, 2011 at 5:30 pm
Good for you Bill, doing what most of us in this modern age are afriad to do, and turning off the technology for the weekend. I am sure that you little one will really appreciate the quality time that your family got to spend together without the technology. Im sure if you are anything like me you would have been really “weired” out by about hours of no phone when that is what you are used to being around all the time. I hope that you had a wonderful experience out of the whole situation!
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Bill Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 7:52 pm
Adrian,
It was a different weekend. Now I try to cut back on a more regular basis. I actually find myself leaving some of the tools at the office.
Bill
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March 31st, 2011 at 12:55 am
Hi Bill, great to see you having the emails coming in but you have to take a break my friend. Investing all your time in improving your business to take it to new levels also requires that you take some time for yourself. Just remember to not to get off track or you’ll never know what could have been. I feel guilty when I’m away from all the technology but I’m starting get better at taking more time off but it has to be done. Take care Bill and hope to talk more soon!
Rick Salas
Rick Salas´s last [type] ..Successful Social Site Strategies and Tips For Success In Social Marketing
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Bill Reply:
April 2nd, 2011 at 6:56 pm
Thanks Rick,
The important thing to always remember is hind sight is ALWAYS 20 / 20. We can always say what if! I believe that if we keep everything in balance, we will truly have the life intended. It would be such a shame to grow a hugh business and make lots of money, but lose my family and my Soul.
Bill
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April 2nd, 2011 at 8:20 am
Way To Go, Bill!
While I am sure that going unplugged was not easy at all for you, wasn’t nice not to have to worry about checking your phone.
I do believe that having a mental break from it all does help to avoid burnout.
I hope you get to do it more often!
Kim
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Bill Reply:
April 2nd, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Kim,
Thank you for the comment. It was truly a great experience! I enjoyed it and now I actually put it all down a little easier.
Bill
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April 2nd, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Bill,
Congratulations on such a brave experiment! I’m going off to a retreat this week and will be unplugged and it honestly makes me a little nervous. I don’t want to “miss” anything, whether it’s a new client contacting me, or a change in my stock portfolio or whatever! I’m sure that I will survive, as you did, and grow and learn from it.
Thanks for sharing,
Adam
Dr. Adam Sheck´s last [type] ..Can Men And Women Be Friends
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Bill Reply:
April 2nd, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Dr. Sheck,
You will be amazed the enjoyment you will get from the weekend. I now make it a habit to turn things off a little more than in the past. It is GREAT!
Hope you enjoy the weekend and come back fresh and renewed. The amazing thing will be, finding that most of the things you thought were important.
Bill
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April 2nd, 2011 at 7:37 pm
There is no better way to improve your productivity and personal satisfaction with your life than to go unplugged. Life is meant to be lived and so many times we let our need to connect determine our destiny. Sure we need to stay connected but we also need be proactive.
Unplugging helps us put things into perspective. We feel empowered. As we reconnect we also appreciate the value of the relationships we enjoy with our online associates.
GOOD for you! I go back packing every summer. Nice to reconnect with self and others on return.
Teach Jim´s last [type] ..College- Career Planning and Future Prospectives!
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Bill Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
Jim,
All I can say is Thank You for the comment! You have really said it all!
Bill
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April 2nd, 2011 at 11:17 pm
Hi Bill,
How refreshing that you left the buzz behind for a few days. Everybody needs a break, even though it appears that you enjoy it. Wonder if there would be a way to cut some of that back–it appears that you may have a lot of clutter. Some great time management techniques may be helpful!
Surround Yourself with Entrepreneurs!
Linda
Linda Thomas´s last [type] ..Entrepreneur In Action- Tracy &8216Power Gal&8217 Monteforte
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Bill Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 9:44 am
Linda,
Thank you for the observation, you are correct. I have made some changes on my Time management. I work on the computer on a more limited basis now. This allows me the benefit of getting other things done. It was a GREAT experience and I have learned from it.
Thank You
Bill
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April 4th, 2011 at 11:46 am
Bill
WOW!! Unplugged!!! Now that’s a great Idea. I do some days, but all I have is the lap top to keep in touch. I have stayed away from the cell phone and IPhone so far. Looks like with all the work I have this summer the cell phone may become a needed tool. Ipad is very tempting. We all do need a break from the tech stuff once in a while.
Have a Great Day
Chester
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Bill Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 9:42 am
Chester,
Good for you and not using a Cell Phone at the moment. I will guarantee you that the moment you buy one your life will change. Your ALWAYS available to others! IPad I could do without for most days, there are a number of things that I really need the LapTop for that can’t be done on the IPAD!
Bill
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April 4th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
I never do unplugged on weekends. I think I it is a difficult thing to do. Getting unplugged for a day. lol
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Bill Reply:
April 16th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Jorge,
You should try it for maybe 1 evening say after 5pm till morning. Great Start on recapturing some of your quiet time.
Bill
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April 4th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Thanks for sharing your experience of getting unplugged Bill. I never do unplugged on weekends. I think it is a difficult thing to do. Getting unplugged for a day. lol
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Bill Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 9:40 am
Thanks Jorge,
Going unplugged really is a GREAT Benefit if you’re able to get away with it. I would recommend that more people try this from time to time.
Bill
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April 4th, 2011 at 8:15 pm
Bill,
For me, it is not that pleasant to be completely unplugged for more than a day. The number of emails in my several different accounts becomes overwhelming and takes a few days more until I catch up. I prefer to keep current every day, when possible. However, I was away at a Braveheart Women Release event in Arizona where both my computer and smart phone were unable to access the web. It allowed me to just let go and be there in the moment. My preference is to just check the most urgent messages and leave the rest to catch up on later. But I remember a time, way back when (not really that long ago), where none of us were on the web and we weren’t so inundated with phone calls either.
Erica
Dr, Erica Goodstone´s last [type] ..Savor The Flavor of Love
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Bill Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 9:37 am
Aaaaah Simple times! Sometimes I really envy that life. I have friends that never even carry a phone or have an email account. Imagine that! My wife rarely uses the computer, we have to show her how and where to go when she wants to. It’s just not that important to her.
Bill
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April 6th, 2011 at 1:31 am
Boy Bill is that ever true. When we moved a few years back, we had to wait for cable. No internet,TV and we were lost in a sea of nothingness for about three or four days. It was horrible. It is amazing how hooked we get on our technology
Ross Joyner´s last [type] ..Anchor Text – What is it
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Bill Reply:
April 8th, 2011 at 9:34 am
Ross,
LOL we do rely TO MUCH on technology! Remember the time when life was simple!
Bill
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April 13th, 2011 at 9:10 pm
That’s interesting because I think as we go about our day to day we don’t realize how addicted to Silicon we really have become. I know that I begin to freak out when we lose power, and therefore Internet. But now with the smart phone its not quite so bad.
And then there are times that I just NEED to shut it all down and think.
I’m glad to hear you survived it Bill. Nothing better for reconnecting with loved ones!
Cheryl James´s last [type] ..Defining Prosperity
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Bill Reply:
April 15th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
Cheryl,
I did start feeling withdraws within 2 hours. But survived! I do take a little more time off on a more regular basis now.
Thanks for the comment.
Bill
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April 20th, 2011 at 11:29 am
Hi Bill:
I try to unplug as much as I can on the weekends as well but I have never gone a whole weekend without checking something!
Thanks for the inspiration.
Kevin
Kevin Martineau´s last [type] ..When everything seems hopeless
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April 26th, 2011 at 11:00 pm
LOL – A year or so ago I had a college student ask to interview me for a paper he was writing – he wanted to know what life was like before computers
I remember having a hard time putting myself back in that place – trying to remember what it was like back then 
:) Perhaps going unplugged for a weekend would have helped me prepare for the interview a little better 
Thanks for sharing your experience – glad to see that it is helping you enjoy the rest of life more.
Lori
Lori Tisot´s last [type] ..I’m Inspired…What Will This Inspire You To Do
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April 27th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
Hey Bill, I don’t know how you do it. It is a little too much for me. I have to work in segments. I have 2 cell phones – one for business the other for family. For the life of me, I cannot get used to the I phones and things like that. I feel like it is too much of an imposition to my life. I keep all my internet business on my laptop. Maybe I’m dated, but I just can’t get the hang of it. Power to you Bill. You are provoking thoughts in my mind about getting more technologically updated. Hmmm
Donna Merrill´s last [type] ..Got Freedom
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April 29th, 2011 at 9:42 pm
Fun post, Bill.
I love to muse about being unplugged, although I rarely have the privilege.
Unplugged, though, is where I really find my most creative and insightful moments. It’s also the place where I get to be a REAL friend, father, husband, son and neighbor. That reality is where we truly find our core strength, and it’s really why we spend so much time in productivity… so we can earn the time, space and finances to enjoy more of our real lives.
David Merrill´s last [type] ..The Difference… and Big Similarity… Between Internet Marketing and Network Marketing
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June 19th, 2011 at 8:01 pm
Great post, Bill! I remember on the first few days of my honeymoon not knowing that we had an Internet connection. We used the computer mainly for the purpose of watching movies before we went to bed, but I was shocked to find over 200 e-mails in only four days. Nowadays, after I’ve started online marketing, it seems to have only gotten bigger. I think that we could all definitely use a little bit of simplification in our lives
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