24/6 summary

Maybe you’re thinking you just don’t have the time to take a complete break from technology once a week. But in fact, taking a day away from your screens will make you more focused and more productive in the remaining six. The author, Tiffany Shlain, discovered this when she was setting up the Webby Awards and her film studio. She started switching off her screens from Friday to Saturday evening, and then her team began to do it, too. The result? The whole organization benefited from increased productivity.

One reason for this was simply that they slept better. When you take time to rest, you sleep better, and getting in a full eight hours of sleep each night increases your efficiency. But the benefits aren’t only professional. While you’re sleeping, some very important processes take place.

If you’re serious about your Tech Shabbat, you’ll need some equipment. But don’t worry – the list is pretty short.

First of all, you might need to call people, or they might want to call you. But because you won’t be using your smartphone, you’ll need a landline. Check to see whether one comes free with your internet, and if it doesn’t, get one. And if you want to be able to check the time, you’ll need to retrieve that analog watch you’ve got tucked away at the back of a drawer.

If you were a daydreamer at school, like the author, you probably got in trouble for it more than once. But daydreaming isn’t necessarily a waste of time. After all, it allows you to try things out in your head and think about not only the here and now, but also the past and the future.

So what happens when you’re zoning out? Well, your default mode network, which involves up to 80 percent of your brain, kicks in. When this happens, your brain starts to make new connections, and you become more astute and creative.

Screens have undoubtedly changed our world – we’re addicted to them in our leisure time and unable to escape from the 24/7 work availability they’ve created. The ever-increasing pace at which technology is taking over sometimes makes it seem impossible for us to do anything about it. We need to rethink technology and the effects it has on both us and our children.

Consider just one field: advertising. What changes might we want to see there? Today, ads are everywhere, from billboards and TV spots to pop-ups on the internet. In 2006, the citizens of São Paolo in Brazil had had enough. They voted to ban outdoor ads – and now the city is much quieter and cleaner. Just think how similar restrictions for ads on social media, for instance, would change your online experience.