Avoid Technology

I think it's hilarious that I was assigned this Shabbat task. I am such a tech junkie. When there's a new toy, I want it. When there's an upgrade, I'm all over it. My brother is a full-time tech journalist, so he keeps me up to date on the latest and I revel in technological indulgence. That's why I tried to keep the task as simple as possible - avoid just ONE technological item that you rely on throughout the week. Just one. Here's how it went for me:

Friday afternoon: Promise myself to avoid my cell phone for 24 hours.

Friday evening: Forget to turn off cell phone

Saturday, around 9am: Wake up to find various urgent texts and phone calls. Answer them. Discover that I can't find my watch, another item I rely on all day, every day.

Saturday, around 11am: Remember that I'd made a commitment. Leave cell phone at home when I leave for the day. Also leave without the watch.

For the rest of the day, I make myself crazy frantically checking my wrist and then digging through my purse for my cell phone, forgetting that I'd left it at home on purpose. By "avoiding" technology, I was so preoccupied with its absence that I couldn't focus on anything else!

Lesson learned: Approach Shabbat tasks with real intention and a sense of purpose. Realize that on Shabbat, my time is my own, and I can choose to appreciate that, or I can run around in circles waiting for the moment when I can get back to the work week.

Oh, and while I'm at it - an apology: I didn't post anything for the "Get Outside" task. This is because I was staffing a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip and I didn't have my laptop for the week. But I promise I went outside...and you can see as many pictures as you'd like if you want to add me on Facebook :-)