Unplugging from the Internet

Going Offline for a Few Days at the Beach...

Unplugging from the Internet during a recent beach vacation reminded me how unnatural and unimportant most things vying for our attention actually are . . . and that this insight will do me no good unless I actually change my habits.

Going Offline at the Beach

This past week, we went to the beach, which I believe is one of the best vacation destinations for families with younger children: the kids can play in the sand or the waves, while the parents relax and get a tan — or if you’re a pale-skinned cracka like me, a sunburn.

Unplugging from the Internet: Going Offline at the Beach

I decided to unplug from the internet . . . for the most part. Now that an internet connection can follow you wherever you go if you have a smart phone — or if you drive a recent-model car, use a new high-end appliance, or engage with any number of internet-connected things nowadays — it can be difficult to go offline completely.

I left my phone inside whenever we went out, and I tried to limit my use of it to s…