Who would we even be without our screens?

reflections from Hannah Brencher's "The Unplugged Hours"

We’ve built so much of our lives around constant connectedness—around devices that affirm us, reward us, draw us in, and make us feel like our presence matters, even though, in an instant, they can also make us feel like we don’t matter at all. Who would we even be without our screens, without this unlimited availability at all hours?

If you were to eliminate a smart device from your life for an hour, or two, or three, or even more, what would your life look like?

What would that do to the collective anxiety we feel around needing to respond, always be accessible, always on high alert, always having the ease of Siri or Google Maps or ChatGPT at our fingertips?

What if we waited in line without a pacifier in our hands?

The Unplugged Hours by Hannah Brencher is a drive to a different way of living. Not one that is without screens and smartphones, but one that seeks to live a balanced life not a life utterly dependent for identity, security, safety, and comfort from a screen. I’ve only just begun reading, but it is already thought-provoking, challenging, and a book that, just after chapter 1, I would recommend. As I go through the book I’ll keep updating my recommendation and sharing insights as I am able. Enjoy, and consider grabbing a copy! I got mine from our local library. You can grab this copy when I’m done!

Also, you can check out Hannah’s website for more about the unplugged hours and taking the 1000 hours unplugged challenge.