What I learned when I had no internet

My internet service provider gave notice to all its customers and, long story short, we went with a new one but cancelled during the cooling-off period due to terrible service. Signed up with another and we have wifi again 🙂

During this time, I could use data on my phone but it’s so, so expensive that I tried not to revert to my phone and just do without.

I learned so many things during the month:

  1. I slept a lot more. My average sleep time for September is 7 hrs 46 vs 7 hours 25 for August.
  2. Life was very quiet on the friendship front too. I realised I make quite a few whatsapp audio calls and also couldn’t Facetime with a friend I normally have a monthly date with.
  3. I read a lot more than I usually do. I read 13 books in September. My average is 10 books a month, but in August I only read 8.
  4. I got a lot of organising done in the house – my wardrobes, kids’ wardrobes, kitchen cupboards, etc. And much pottering!
  5. The photos were completely up to date. Absolutely up to date. I don’t think I’ve ever been that up to date before 🙂
  6. I learned that my cell phone provider offers a free Instagram day every 6 days, and free Facebook every 6 days too. Those were the days I scrolled a lot, and on other days I used data to get on Instagram to post, and then I got off.
  7. I downloaded podcasts at work to listen to in the car.

Of course, I’ve made up for all that non-wifi time but I’m very conscious now that when I choose to scroll Instagram, I’m choosing not to go for a walk, read, sleep or get stuff done on my list.

Have you had a period of non-internet time? What did you get done during that time?

Have you considered going phone-free every week or month?

PS I heard on a podcast about Andrea Lucado (Max Lucado’s daughter) who takes the weekend off social media every week. It feels quite radical and strangely freeing too 🙂

PPS there’s another person (whose name escapes me) who takes the last week of every month off!

Does the thought of going offline feel freeing or terrifying?

 

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Comments

  1. What a cool opportunity to scale back!

  2. I really should give it a whirl at some point. Likely soon. Yay for enjoying your time without internet.
    Ps. There are whatsapp data bundles.

    • Re the WA data bundles? On Vodacom? These Instagram and Facebook things were on Vodacom. I’m not a big WA fan as you know. Ha! I feel sorry for friends but not enough to be on there more. Love the voice notes though 😊

      • There could be. I’m on cell c so I know they have all the different bundles – there’s on for social media and one for whatsapp, as if whatsapp isn’t social media :0

  3. Kirstin says

    Tine without Internet is always rewarding. I sometimes go to retreats and am offline for days – and realize I dont miss it. Also, I am much more present to the current Moment and the beautiy around me as well as the people. It’s wonderful. I have also heard about the weekly intentional non-Internet day; very inspiring, something to look into for me as well.

    • I have never been to a retreat! The thought of all the quiet terrifies me 😊 I can see how it would be really supportive of staying in the moment and appreciating time to think, beauty, etc.

  4. I am a little off the pace, but I have literally had this post open a week to comment!!! I love having no internet… I discovered when we had load shedding that I loved having specific times for internet and that’s it. I started this year with a gently scaling back… no data when I wasn’t home and discovered that I actually didn’t need to have the internet most of the time… just to post and when I am actually blogging (not a lot!!!)… So mornings no internet for school time, and afternoons of no internet for peace of mind. So far I have read tons of books for myself and to my kids and my year of getting things done is flying as I tackle a project most days… internet is nice, in it’s place. We just don’t need it in our space 24/7.

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