Do you plan to unplug your electronic devices for Thanksgiving? Can you leave your laptop at home if you are traveling for the holidays? Can you refrain from checking your email on your smart phone or posting your status on Facebook? If I have to guess the answer to these questions, it would be NO!
A lot of people think they can’t live without being connected and turning off their phones and computers will be difficult. Studies have shown that people suffer actual withdrawal symptoms they are unconnected from their devices. Take away a person’s technology, they become nervous, depressed and even despondent.
The main reason most people won’t want to unplug for Thanksgiving is The Web is how most people get their news, maintain contacts, participate in conversations and connect with their work environment. I get it, the place where learning and technology meet is a very fascinating place to be and we don’t want to unplug from that connection.
For most of us, Thanksgiving is supposed to be about spending time with family. Not the friends that are calling, texting and emailing you. This Thanksgiving I challenge you to try and have zero screen time. If that is not an achievable goal let’s take the Pledge for a technology timeout for each member of the family to unplug for an hour, a meal or even the entire holiday.
Take the Pledge to bring friends and family back to the table – without their electronics. Take the “Thanksgiving Unplugged” pledge today!
- Power down my electronics prior to sitting down to dinner
- Encourage my family and friends to join me in a meal freed from attention-grabbing gadgets and television
- Stay home and engaged with those around me rather than heading out to grab early “door buster” sales on Thanksgiving.
- Converse with a family member I don’t typically get to speak with
- Share my experiences with others after the fact, spreading the word about what it was like to unplug during Thanksgiving, and to consider making the act of occasionally unplugging an ongoing tradition in my household – particularly at mealtime.
Premo Roofing Company wishes you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving. Here’s hoping to not see you online!