On today’s Daily Prompt: Sometimes, we all need a break from these little glowing boxes. How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

My job requires me to stare at a little glowing box (3 if you count my phones) for at least 40 hours a week plus I’m a freelancer so unplugging for me is quite difficult. To me, to unplug is to be doing something else other than looking at a computer or a phone. I do that a bit when I’m at my apartment for 2 reasons.

1. I don’t have cell phone reception inside my apartment. Even though I live in the city, my provider (kinda) sucks and everyone gets reception in my apartment except me. This means no Netflix, no Facebook, no Snapchat, NOTHING. The HORROR!!
2. I have no laptop nor wi-fi (GASP!). Since the hardware I use is from work, and I spend most of my time there, I haven’t felt the need to purchase a laptop even though I should because of the blog and my freelance status. I’m planning on purchasing one (I need one like LAST YEAR) soon. Pray for me?

So as long as I have a good book, food, alcohol and amazing (for now) sex company, I feel unplugged in my little cave of a studio.

Another way that I unplug and I mean REALLY unplug is by traveling. In the last two years I’ve chosen a week in October as my “unplug week” where I leave work to travel to places I haven’t been to. 2014 was New Orleans and this year I went to Austin & Marfa (and Chicago for a day). I still have my phone but it’s still an experience where I don’t think about being plugged but about connecting with the place I’m visiting. My last trip has been the most unplugged I’ve been ever. I had ZERO reception for 2 days. My way of connecting to the outside world was by using wi-fi in certain parts of the town. It was hard to be so detached but necessary and it made my experience an unforgettable one. I can’t wait for next year’s unplug week (or weeks).

Look Ma, no antennas, a valid excuse to not call you.

There are places other than my apartment where I like to unplug every now and then, especially on the long weekends, but to me they’re like fun waiting areas. New experiences to have and stories to tell until the next…

How do you unplug? Tell me below!