eeek! What do these questions mean?
I’ve only recently discovered the Daily Prompt. I was going to ignore it, but it’s getting to be fun meeting the challenge.
I asked my friend Microsoft Copilot and it replied:
It’s about stepping away from screens, notifications, and constant connectivity to recharge mentally and emotionally. People might unplug by spending time outdoors, reading a book, meditating, or simply enjoying quiet moments without digital distractions.
I don’t think screens were ever as big a problem for me as others. Maybe it’s a generational thing, but I was never fond of phones. Most of my time on my smartphone is spent listening to music or podcasts and watching YouTube, not communicating.
At the same time, I can totally relate to what Copilot says about how you unplug. For me, I almost need to unplug from my own mind because, like most people, I spent too much time ruminating and trying to solve problems that don’t need to be solved or that don’t need to be solved right now. I think that’s what Jesus meant when he said the following:
Matt 6:34
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
I don’t think that he meant that you totally put the future out of your mind. For one thing, his whole message was focused on the future, where you will spend eternity and how to ensure that you’ll go to heaven. But, humans, in contrast to animals have a tendency to mentally wear themselves out on unproductive thinking.
Even Jesus himself needed to unplug. He often withdrew to quiet places to pray and reflect. The Gospels frequently mention Him retreating to the wilderness, mountains, or solitary locations to spend time with his Father.
Mark 1:35 – “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
Luke 5:16 – “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Matthew 14:23 – “After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.”
Mark 6:31 – “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'”
Prayer is one way to unplug, but it’s obviously more than a strategy for wellbeing. It has real results. You might not see them, but I take Jesus’s word for it that prayer is effective. The one danger with prayer, is that when you bring your stresses to God, you start thinking and ruminating again and you’re not really leaving them with God, but trying to solve them yourself.
Matt 6:7
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
This verse applies to verbal babbling, but I would also apply it to mental babbling or ruminating. Just bring it to God and leave it with God. He knows what you need before you ask him
And we should also make use of general resources that God gives us for unplugging and unwinding. I generally go off on 20- to 30-minute walks just around the neighbourhood. Sometimes I listen to music or podcasts while walking, but it can be even better without that.
And in the evenings, I am trying to get into the habit of reading the physical books around the house. My latest is The Message of ACTs, which I must have bought around 30 years ago. It’s very tempting to do this in conjunction with the Web and to start looking up maps and many other references while reading. Someone suggested that it’s better, while reading, to simply note down things to look up later. Otherwise, you’ll get nowhere.
What about meditation? Many Christians are a bit suspicious about that, but I see it simply as a beneficial mental exercise. Like Yoga exercises, I don’t think of it in religious terms or in magical terms. I’ve always enjoyed how Mark Williams explains it. Playing the guitar and other musical instruments has always helped me to relax. When I do so, because my mind is taken up with simple, repetitious activities, it’s not focusing on all the stressy stuff. When I’m at the dentist or in the doctor’s waiting room, I won’t have my guitar with me. But I can focus on my breath, or I can do a mental body scan. I’m not big into meditation, but I see it as a simple tool that’s just right for particular situations. And it’s something I would like to practice more than I do. But I still prefer walking or playing music 😀.
I still haven’t answered the question “How do I know when it’s time to unplug”. Well, I just have regular routines. Everyday, I set apart certain times. It’s a little different if you’re in situations where you really need to pull out all the stops, but if you’re in the habit of using certain tools and strategies to unwind, then perhaps you can fit in slots even when you are extremely busy – where you can take time out and minimize the chances of getting burnt out.
Hibernia Gospel 