Lite, Unplugged

Could you get through seven days without looking at a device? I tried—here’s what happened

- Julien Blanc-Gras

It's well-documented: Our screens are cognitive prisons that pulverize our attention span, erode our mental health and spark polarized rage, all while exacerbating our carbon footprint. But can we free ourselves?

I've decided to try to live like it's 1996, and go back to my pre-internet life, with a one-week digital detox-no computers or cellphones. But before the big shutoff, I need to do a little preparation.

The Day Before

First, I need to explain the concept to my friends and family so they're not wondering why I've suddenly fallen off the map. I set up an out-of-office reply: "I won't have access to email until Sunday. If this is an emergency, call my landline at xxxx."

Then I scribble a few useful phone numbers in a notebook-which will be my daily diary. I borrow my eight-year-old son's watch (the last time I wore a watch, it was the 20th century), jot down my week's appointments and map out routes. Next I find my long-abandoned landline phone and plug it in.

My digital detox hasn't even begun and I'm already conscious of the fact that I underestimated my screen dependency. I feel nervous. I had envisioned the challenge as a soothing lull, but now, on the edge of the analog abyss, I'm gripped by dull angst. I type these final words on my Mac, which I'll put in the drawer along with my iPhone. I'll shut the drawer and tape it closed. Once it's sealed, there will be no turning back.

Day 1

The alarm clock goes off. I reach towards the bedside table. My phone isn't there. I feel a void already. I've only been awake a few seconds.

No checking messages before I empty my bladder. No news roundup with breakfast. No weather forecast. I have no choice but to look out the window: It's the early hours of a beautiful day.