I'm Online. A LOT.
What I'm doing about it in 2024
Thank you for reading Moving Offline this year. I appreciate your support in sharing this with others, comments, and other suggestions :)
Online…
I’m online. A lot. In fact, I’m on a plane heading to Washington D.C. writing this! It’s not as much as it used to be before starting my path towards digital minimalism. Those days were truly filled with online content coming from my laptop, iPhone, and tablet (about 14 hours of screen time). Nonetheless, I find myself spending a substantial portion of my day online, whether it's for work, leisure, or simply staying connected with friends and family. Nearly one-third of my day is dedicated to various online activities, and I've come to realize that our lives are increasingly dominated by our online presence. As I near my 30s, I'm committed to ensuring that the following three decades won't be dominated by the digital realm. I'm eager for transformation.
Undoubtedly, the internet offers immense convenience and the ability to access a wealth of information and create value. You're reading this content online, after all. However, the thought of moving away from this digital realm is daunting. It involves significant risk. My current lifestyle demands expenses that range between $55,000 to $60,000 annually, and my income aligns with these costs. While my job is mostly offline, it does have some online aspects. Taking the leap to leave my job for a complete offline profession is a scary prospect.
In an evolving economy, online jobs have become increasingly attractive (if remote work was guaranteed to look like the picture above, I’d sign up today haha). They allow for flexibility that my office does not. The freedom to work from anywhere, and the chance to escape the confines of a traditional 9 to 5. The positive aspects of remote work appeal to me. It would provide more time for leisurely walks with my dog, breaks to unwind, and the freedom to disconnect from my screen and enjoy offline activities after work. However, I am cognizant that there are many invisible drawbacks. Lack of contact with coworkers, online-centered tasks, and a propensity to do more online. It conflicts with the offline existence I crave. One filled with laughter, sports, and the freedom to redesign my life as I see fit.
This transition to offline isn't without its challenges. It means potentially leaving my current job, which straddles the line between online and offline. It might involve a pay cut or a shift in my work environment and responsibilities. It is a return to slower communication via letters instead of WhatsApp. While it might entail missing out on the latest news and thoughts from my favorite sources (which might not be such a loss), the more I contemplate this change, the more I realize that I'm unwilling to compromise my happiness. I refuse to continue down the path of mindlessly consuming algorithmic content, constantly checking my phone for updates, and succumbing to the pressures of online life. I may not need a 100% offline lifestyle to achieve this, but I need to incorporate more analog experiences into my life.
Lifestyle Design
To embrace a life focused on offline experiences, I've embraced the philosophy of lifestyle design. This approach empowers us to shape the course of our lives, requiring us to make present-day sacrifices to savor the desired life in the near future. Think of it as a 5-year plan, not necessarily tied to retirement, which begins by envisioning a typical day and then expanding to a yearly perspective. Here are six questions that have guided me in aligning my daily and annual goals with an offline-centered life:
How many daily hours do you aim to spend online, considering both work and leisure?
During vacations, do you plan to stay connected to the internet?
Would periodic offline retreats, perhaps every quarter, aid in restoring your perspective?
Are you open to making career or job adjustments this year to prioritize offline living?
Which online aspects (news, podcasts, etc.) truly enhance your daily life?
Do you prefer an online mode of communication with friends and family?
As I revisit these questions annually, my aspiration remains to diminish my reliance on the internet while preserving the genuinely valuable aspects of the online sphere. Therefore, it's crucial to contemplate your individual lifestyle. Are you content with your current situation, or do you yearn for change? Does your reliance on the internet cause you stress? Have you observed any positive personal growth attributable to the Internet? Reflecting on the pervasive role of technology in our lives has motivated me to pursue a more serene and less hectic existence.
Over the past year, I embarked on an unconventional path by removing Wi-Fi from my residence. This decision put an end to mindlessly checking emails on my computer, rendered smart assistants and fancy connected home devices obsolete, and introduced a degree of inconvenience. However, it also rekindled my passion for reading and building with LEGOs. This seemingly minor change sparked a desire for simplicity, improved work planning, and a more efficient workflow.
Online life, with its constant stream of information, social media, emails, and news, often brings stress as we grapple with expectations and demands from others. In contrast, offline moments, whether spent in nature or simply strolling through my neighborhood, offer a sense of serenity. Thus, for 2024, I want more offline in my life.
So 2024, What’s it going to be?
So, how am I taking steps towards a more offline lifestyle in 2024? First, I plan to switch to a low-data plan for my work phone. I've realized that having data access on my work phone can often tempt me into mindless online activities, especially when I'm traveling or at the office. Opting for a low or no-data plan, which is much more cost effective (around $6 per month on US Mobile), will help curb this habit. I already have this plan on my Light Phone 2 and it has worked fantastically!
Additionally, I'll be implementing a block on my laptop using Cold Turkey. While I've had their software for a while, I haven't been very strict with setting time limits. However, moving forward, I intend to activate their "frozen turkey" feature after work hours to completely restrict my computer usage. Finally, I'm committed to turning offline retreats into a reality. Living in the beautiful state of Colorado, I realize I've been missing out on exploring this incredible landscape firsthand instead of just through pictures on Instagram.
Here's a question for you: How much of your day do you want to spend offline? Take a moment to assess your screen time and reflect on the control the online world has over you. For me, 3 to 4 hours a day online is a reasonable limit. Beyond that, online life starts to dominate my attention and makes me eager for a more balanced existence.
As I embark on this journey, I aim to regain control over my life and prioritize offline moments that bring peace and fulfillment. It's about finding the right balance and reclaiming the offline world that I believe holds the key to a more authentic and satisfying life.
See you in 2024!