How many times a day do you check your smart phone for status updates, emails, or text messages? Is your computer always on so you can browse at leisure? Do you take your gadgets with you to bed or to the table for dinner? I’m guilty of these things and I’m willing to bet some of you are too.

The National Day of Unplugging is the first Friday of March each year and encourages everyone, everywhere to take 24 hours to unplug. From sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday the folks behind the idea want us to unwind, relax, reflect, get outdoors, connect with loved ones and put the technology away for a day.

If the full 24 hour period is too much for you, try to unplug for a few hours at least and give yourself an opportunity to be fully present and an active participant without checking for calls or contact from others via technology. Who knows, you may want to incorporate a few hours of unplugging each week.

Why will you unplug? To connect with others or yourself? To read a book to your child? To take a hike? Meet a friend for dinner? ….