One in five people tote computers on their holidays -- according to an AP-Ipsos poll released Friday. I was also intrigued by BL Ochman’s question today … How often do you allow yourself to go unwired … which she found over at Jeff Pulver's blog.
BL admitted to just spending the weekend unwired, and it was great. In her words… “It's something I rarely ever do, if only because the email pile-up is too awful to contemplate on a regular basis. And most people I know are rarely, if ever, totally out of the online loop. While I was off-line, friends actually c
alled when "want to see a movie?" or "what are you doing tomorrow?" emails went unanswered. By Sunday I felt really relaxed, and my always sore hands were happier.”
As I read these interesting posts and the discussions they generated about addiction to online activity … I was thinking that it’s actually good for the brain to move offline occasionally. How so?
Here are 5 benefits to your brain - if you go unwired for the odd weekend….
1. When you put yourself in unfamiliar places – you are less likely to fall into ruts. It’s called Hebbian learning and it stifles productivity, because it literally reshapes your brain for narrow outputs that can slow you down.
2. A weekend offline will rewire dendrite brain connectors for growing new intelligences. You have at least eight distinctive intelligences of which 3 or 4 at the most are engaged while online. Take in music, attend the theater, hike, or just plain play and you’ve already activated new brain cells off screen.
3. Relate to people and places that are less tuned into online networks, and watch new synergies fly. Ideas emerge, solutions seem simpler, and a wider vision is often scoped – simply because you jumpstart hidden and unused parts of the brain.
4. See things from new angles because you are looking at your day through different windows of your mind. Believe it or not your brain waves will actually shift to facilitate different results from your online beta, alpha, theta, delta wave patterns
5. Move more than computer work allows, and that activity increases blood flow and oxygen to fuel your brain. Kick up your heals to a dance and the rhythms can even induce enzymes for better moods.
Not a bad takeaway for the brain – simply by stepping away from the online screen for a weekend break.
Any other benefits you see for the unwired brain?
Taking the whole weekend off for some is very difficult. If you practice some of the techniques, including participating in some kind of sport over the weekend how long is enough to regenerate yourself? Say you take at least eight hour each day doing something outside of work or school.
Posted by: Gene Janes | June 2, 2007 6:55 PM | Permalink to Comment