We spend countless hours in front of some sort of screen or listening to electronics. Myself included, right now I have Hulu on, I am on my computer and my phone is at the ready right next to me. If I am not careful, almost all my waking hours will be filled with technology. With the abundance of technology, it takes effort to find time to unplug from it all. Below are four benefits I have found in taking the time to get away from technology sometimes.

1. Renewed appreciation for technology.

If you are older than 25, you likely remember the days of navigating without a GPS and scouring through books at the library or encyclopedias if you wanted to research something. Taking time away from technology helps me appreciate the ease that it has brought to our lives. With a few key strokes, the internet can help up look up anything and our phones can tell us where to turn.

2. Removing unhealthy envy of friends’ lives.

More and more studies are showing the correlation between social media and decreased self-esteem. People generally post the happy times on their social media accounts, which can lead to people being jealous of their friends. We forget that friends lives are not that exciting all day every day. Some people have even chosen to get off social media all together to eliminate the negativity of trolls and the envy of others.

3. Experience life in the here and now.

Remember the days of playing outside and interacting during meals? Those things can still be possible! Try leaving your phone at home the next time you go to dinner. Take your kids to the park without their tablets. Unplugging can take us back to the days of experiencing life in real time. Not every experience needs to be documented with pictures. Sometimes making memories is more important that bragging on Instagram.

4. Increased creativity.

One study showed participants that spend four days unplugging was linked to 50% higher scores on tests of creativity. Some of the things I do without technology are sewing, making candles, and baking. Kids can create Lego cities, paint, build a fort, or whatever else they can imagine.

The National Day of Unplugging in 2018  is March 2^nd-3^rd. Try spending 24 hours tech free! If any of the benefits above sound appealing just give it a try. What is the worst that can happen? If a whole day seems too daunting, take baby steps and maybe go for a walk around the block without your phone.