I went a week without Facebook once. I keep saying I shoild go device free for a week again with the exception of texts and FB messenger.

When my modem died a few weeks ago I was without internet for a little over 24 hours. I about went stir crazy! I was limited to TV for any outside contact. It was awful!

Rusty

I don't do Facebook or Twitter or any other social media. I visit some forums like this and nextdoor for my neighborhood news. I have never purposely disconnected completely. I have not had any reason to. I am not online nearly as much as I once was but when I need to look up something or find directions etc I definitely use my devices. When we travel in the RV I always have a way to connect.

I regularly shut down my computer for almost a day at a time. It doesn't get turned on until I need to check email, stock quotes, or search for information. When I travel on trip, the desktop stays home and is off. I'll take my laptop along for reference, but it will be off until I want to check email and that will be after I have gotten a room and a meal. I keep a copy of my genealogy files in both computers.

My cell phone is off the most of the time since I yet have a land line. When I leave the house, I'll turn on my cell phone and take it with me to provide a means for my wife to contact me if the need arises.

Its my philosophy that cell phones and personal computers are there for my convenience, not for me to be a slave to those. Those things are very useful tools so long as we remember that.

My phone is a slider, so no internet. I have zero social media accounts, but do have an aol email account on my macbook, and work email on my pc at the clinic. Our cabin has no internet connection, no television reception, or cell phone service so we are unplugged for days and even weeks on end. We do enjoy listening to the radio there in the evenings.

Both my wife and I feel great both mentally and physically during and after our extended times totally off-line. I would gladly leave all on-line activity tomorrow if not for having to work in a metro area, and be far better off.

Personally I don't think screen time is healthy for human development. I routinely see children as young as 2 and 3 swiping their parent's phones like experts. The dramatic rise in children with developmental problems including poor self-regulation, learning problems, social and communication deficits, and attention problems is telling us something I believe.

Internet free over the weekend, most every weekend.

My friend was telling me about when they have a get-together at her house, everyone has their faces stuck in their phones and she was getting sick to death of it. So at Thanksgiving (Easter), she had a basket and told everyone as they came in that their phones were to be left in the basket. I haven't asked her how that went. She was telling me that her grandkids sit at the table with their faces glued to their phones. I asked her "what are the doing on their phones that's so wonderful that they can't leave it?" She didn't know...so I'm curious, WHAT DO THEY DO on their phones...the children I mean? She assumed they were playing games but I'll bet they are texting/messaging with their friends.

Edit: I meant to say Easter, not Thanksgiving.

Shut them off? No! Our children keep in touch with us on a daily basis so it would alarm them if we don't respond to a call or message.

Internet free? Really? Internet free to me means no email; no messaging (that's WiFi) no streaming; no online banking; no online ordering, etc. Slow down? Yes, but not internet free.

I haven't recently, no. I have to have my cell on me 24/7 because I have an elderly/frail/stubborn father.

I haven't recently, no. I have to have my cell on me 24/7 because I have an elderly/frail/stubborn father.

Doorbell ringing, loud knocking, then key in door, "DAD, WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER YOUR PHONE!!!".

Honey, relax, I'm replacing the ceiling fan in the sun room.

"YOU'RE REPLACING THE CEILING FAN FROM A LADDER WITHOUT HELP!!!"

Okay, I get it, I'm sorry.

Kids.

I'm not a slave to my devices but I see no need to turn them off. I go hours without checking them when I am out for hikes, walks, taking photos, etc.

But I have a daily photo blog that I update, I text my sisters who all live in different towns to keep in touch and yes I do like to check Facebook to see what is going on with family and friends who don't live near me.

I find it funny that people say "I don't do social media"......you do realize that this forum is social media, right?

arkansas girl , we don't allow cell phones or computers on Christmas Day. I made that rule up 2 years ago when the Christmas before we barely talked to each other after opening gifts. That first Christmas, not only were cells and computers not allowed, my tv was set to the fireplace channel, so no tv either. We had a beautiful day. I finally met my family....

I'd like days like that, but no. Only happens when we have no wifi or phone signal.

"Doorbell ringing, loud knocking, then key in door, "DAD, WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER YOUR PHONE!!!".

Honey, relax, I'm replacing the ceiling fan in the sun room.

"YOU'RE REPLACING THE CEILING FAN FROM A LADDER WITHOUT HELP!!!"

Okay, I get it, I'm sorry.

Kids."

I've been saying I have an 80-year-old toddler to take care of. Here's my favorite:

He is supposed to text me EVERY MORNING when he gets up.

One morning, about 6 months ago - no text. I waited until 9:15 to text him. No response. Texted again 5 minutes later. No response. I called the phone. Voicemail. Tried again. Voicemail. Tried one more time. Voicemail. I checked "find friends" on my phone and his phone was showing at his house.

I called his next-door neighbor: "I'm out of town - sorry."

I called his across-the-street neighbor: "I'm at work, but I didn't see him out smoking on his porch this morning."

I called his phone three more times.

I called the police for a welfare check.

At this point, I'm frantic. (We live 200 miles from him.) I'm in tears, calling my husband, telling my boss I have to leave, etc.

The police call me back - my dad's car is missing from the driveway. Additional level of panic ensues.

I call the funeral home (where my late mother worked) and speak to the funeral director. No - he's not there.

I call the hospital. They won't tell me anything (and it's more of an urgent care clinic than a hospital because it's a tiny town, but I digress...).

I'm walking out the door of my office to get in my car and my phone rings. It's my dad.

"Hi. I see you texted and called. What's up?"

Me (bawling): Oh my god! Are you OK?

Him: Yes. Why?

Me: I've been trying to get in touch with you for an hour. I had the police go by your house and your car was gone, nobody has seen you, blah blah blah...

Him: Oh. I went to Hardee's for breakfast and didn't think I needed my phone.

Me: You MUST keep your phone with you ALL THE TIME.

Him: Didn't mean to worry you.

ARGH.

I asked my friend how it went with the basket and she said that she didn't use a basket, she just forbid anyone to be on their phone and only her SIL broke the rule, he had a text he had to answer. She said it was great!

This and the Trip Advisor Hawaii forum are my entire 'social media'. No Facebook, Twitter, etc.

My cell phone is on during the day, mostly for family calls. I don't make or want to take calls in public. We still have a land line ($13/mo.).

My only online financial transactions are occasional CC purchases and online bids/receipts for services. I don't bank online.

I've been forced to connect with conglomerate-affiliated MD's online for appointments, test results, prescription renewals.

I use Google often. I read some news online -- including a BBC report this morning on the growing field of addiction treatment for the screen-obsessed, some of it available...online.

When I moved into my new house in July it wasn't wired yet for cable or internet. We had to wait a week to get the electrician out to put in all the wires and then another 2 weeks for the sub contractor from Frontier to come out and put the lines from my house to the box down the street, which meant shooting the fios cable under the road and then another 2 weeks before Frontier came out and hooked everything up.

So we went 5 weeks after moving into the house with no internet, home phone or TV. We did have our cell phones and kindles. We would use the blue tooth and tether to our kindles from our phones to download books only. We survived and actually my son realized how much he likes to read because of that time. But it made it super difficult for me who had bills to pay and bank accounts to check and only way I could do that is use my cell phone.

I would not choose to go completely off the grid like that. I can see laying off social media, TV and mindless surfing once in awhile to go out and actually do something or get things done around the house but I can not see ever giving those things up completely. The convenience of being able to bank and pay bills online is not something I would ever give up.

I have to say, I do not understand "mandating" no cells, tv, etc. My 17 year old son and I simply don't. No putting items in a basket, or making a rule... why it is so hard for some, I do not understand. I am totally perplexed! Vexed even.

I got kicked off of FB a few years ago for using a nickname and I refused to send them a copy of my driver's license to stay on. At first I did miss it just because I was part of some pet groups that I could ask questions on. But after a while I'm so glad I'm not on there anymore. I seemed to attract people that loved bombarding everyone with their views and they were usually opposite of mine. They were still my friends and I love them of course but it was just too much. And seeing how addicted people are to fb drives me crazy. Whenever I see my mom she keeps shoving her phone in my face to show me funny stuff on fb. You say you want to spend time with me but then you shove your phone in my face the whole time lol

If it were up to me I wouldn't have satellite either but my husband would go into convulsions haha I do use my phone quite a bit but I use it to look up things and teach myself how to do things. :)

When my kids got their cell phones years ago we did say no cell phones at meal times. Now, when they come to visit or for dinner they never bring their phones to the table, nor do their partners.

I don't have a cell phone, I don't do facebook, but I do spend some time on GW.

Only when my computer broke down. My on line friends are almost my only contact with the "outside" world. However, as for my cell phone, if I don't know who is calling, I never answer. If I ever talk to anyone on the phone, I save the number. Often I won't answer even if I know who it is and I like the person. I just don't feel like talking. I don't like talking on the phone....if there is something we need to discuss, get to the point. I don't like chit chat. I do read and respond to texts. I know I am terminally weird but I am usually busy or sleeping. I don't have a lot of time. Also I am the same in other areas. If we have lunch or visit, I can talk your ears off but if I see you in the supermarket and you don't see me, I will turn and go several aisles over so I don't have to talk.

marilyn_c I'm the same way. lol I don't like talking over the phone. And the past few years haven't been that great with pets and loved ones passing. So the sound of a ringing phone actually really freaks me out sometimes. I always think it's bad news. And if someone even says I have bad news or calls me crying about something my anxiety shoots up. Then the person tells me what's going on. I tell them that's it? Compared to the loss of a loved one other problems just don't seem so bad anymore. Things can be fixed or are there to teach life lessons.

No, I don't go device free. My mom is one of those who will turn her cell phone off without telling anyone and it drives me nuts.

She also changed her settings to only allow calls from known numbers which has caused problems as well.

I had her listed as an emergency contact with the school and doctors offices if something were to happen to me or my husband and they needed to contact someone regarding our kids but since her phone won't even ring if she doesn't have the number in her contacts, I'm in the process of having to change it over to my mother in law who lives farther away but at least keeps her phone on.

I don't understand people who feel like the only purpose of a phone is for them to contact others and not for others to be able to reach them.

It works both ways

marilyn c, I think you've said you're a somewhat shy and withdrawn person when it comes to other people. I think it's great that you've developed a good understanding about what makes you happy.

I make no use of so-called social media. This and a few other forums are it for me. I do have a fair amount of daily email and text traffic (none of which is advertising, promotions, etc., I nuke any company trying to do that to me immediately) and phone calls, almost entirely from friends and family. I don't give out my "real" email address or phone numbers indiscriminately, and I try to block soliciting phone calls after the first one, so almost any ring or beep I get is coming from someone I want to communicate with. I welcome them.

I agree with rob, it shouldn't be necessary to "mandate" or establish rules about non-use of electronics when in a group situation. Or to mandate an "off" period to detox. Anymore than you would need to mandate - "Don't put your face into the plate or eat with your hands, please use the fork/knife/spoon". It's all about basic good manners and self control that anyone over age 10 shouldn't need to be spoken to about.

Well unfortunately, the parents aren't teaching the kids basic manners. Actually the parents are just as bad as the kids. What I've come to realize is that the Iphone/smartphone has become a babysitter for the kids so the parents do not have to bother with them because their lives are so hectic.

The manners(maybe it's common sense) thing has really become a problem. The last time I went out to eat...EVERYONE was using their phones. They were ringing all sorts of ringtones, they were beeping Amber Alerts, some lady's phone had an alarm going off because she had somewhere to be, two old men in the corner booth were watching a music video, we could hear drums half way across the restaurants. It was insane! The worst ever! The thing about it is, they were all OLD PEOPLE. Not kids, not ever young adults...they were all at least over 50.

Thanks everyone. :)

I guess unless there's an emp pulse a la War of the Worlds, the cell phones and other devices are around to stay. ;) Until they implant us all with the next thing...

I do use my cell phone as radio daily, so would miss that. I'll be fine for our vacation week without it though.

Elmer, there is nothing shy about me. I sure don't consider myself withdrawn. Self indulgent is a better word. I have a lot to do and I am always in a hurry to get things finished so I can sit down and rest. I don't like people to hang on me. I have one friend in particular who lives with one crisis after another. Only in abusive relationships. I finally figured out she wouldn't have it any other way. I get tired of hearing about it.

Ken, the old man I took care of for 8 yrs, was very withdrawn and like a recluse. I've mentioned him before so maybe that is where you got it. I was his only friend.

I have always spent a lot of time by myself and I love it. I have a thousand things to do and I am happy as heck to get caught up enough to do some of them. But I can also talk to anyone. I just would rather do that once in awhile and the rest of the time do the things I want to do. I spent decades taking care of my mother, Ken and raising my daughter. Now I take care of horses and raise orphan possums. It's what I'd rather do now.

No, no and no. I enjoy the computer, ipad, iPhone very much, would hate to be without them. It's so much fun to keep up with Houzz forums, look up things, keep in touch with my dear kids, take and send photos, listen to the radio when I walk the dog, on and on. We were without wifi a few hours last evening, even the TV would not work. It felt like the carpet is ripped out from beneath one's feet. I know, it's crazy to be so hooked up to technological life.

As for facebook, I can do without it the rest of my life.

How far do you go with the definition of "device"? Does that include radio/tv? Landline phone? I use the internet for watching TV often. I don't leap to email immediately unless I'm expecting to hear from someone. I have talking and visual caller ID so if it's not more important than my company, the phone goes unanswered. My cell is a prepaid flip phone, although I do miss the FM radio in the older phone even though I didn't use it often. I do not have facebook, myspace, twitter or the like and won't have it. Don't understand peoples' obsession to advertising and posting pictures of each and every bowel movement.

Why would people need a basket or "rules"? Pretty simple, because people are so determined to use that phone every second of the day they won't put it down and they can't carry an intelligent conversation. Most people with smart phones are more obnoxious than most smokers were. People would grumble about people blowing smoke in their faces but won't stand up to someone ramming their conversations and texting down peoples' throats with a phone. And then there's the crowd who are afraid to take a stand because someone might pull a gun and shoot them.

I'm not inflexible on it. There are times when it's reasonable. If you're, for instance (not necessarily all-inclusive), a doctor or fireman on-call, someone on a transplant wait-list, are the designated ICE for someone frail or very sick and you might get called when/if they die or you have agents with you carrying "the football", for example, you can use your cell whenever you want around me. Otherwise, I expect some courtesy.

Smart phones today bring back memories of call-waiting that was so popular for a while. I have someone "on the other line". (BS. You're too cheap to get another line so you have call waiting! Don't try to make yourself sound more important than you are.) Unless I knew they had a legitimate reason for prioritizing the other call, I would always hang up and let them call me back. When they gave the "hang on", I'd just say no, call me when you have time to finish our conversation. They'd always get perturbed and I'd just tell them that obviously, the other call was more important to them than was talking to me so I let them take the priority call.

I turned off Facebook for a month - early January through mid February, though I had to check in once because of a book club meeting that arranges our face to face through that medium. At that point I couldn't help but notice that a good friend of mine was putting her step mother into hospice. So I had to write then.

I turned off FB because the political stuff was driving me nuts, and because I think I value some of my friends for reasons beyond their political views... but in the meantime, I didn't need to be subjected to said political views.

I don't watch TV hardly at all. No cable here, no Dish. I had to force myself to at least see what was on when I stayed at a hotel for a convention a few weeks ago. Free, right? After 20 minutes, it was off. For good.

I have NEVER picked up a call that has tried to interrupt a call I was already on. My brain doesn't re-track that fast to be useful. And now with cell, they can leave me a message and I can get back.

If I am out with others in person: unless I KNOW a call is important (I am building a house, and also I may need to meet with other friends and coordination is necessary) I won't pick up and answer a phone call. My time with my friends is my time with my friends. We may need to check the weather... we may need to check the road situation.. but these will pertain to what's going on in the here and now with my friends.

It's easy to get all caught up in a new device or a new social outlet. But it has to fit into a life that you're overall satisfied with. I'm not satisfied viewing the world through a glass screen. But I do like interacting with people via a few forums and facebook groups each day, and I appreciate the convenience of looking odd facts up on my cellphone or reading a book on Kindle. I know one or two people who have deliberately stopped using facebook and feel calmer now. Maybe portable, social electronics are like alcohol -- some people can partake quite a bit every day and be just fine. Others, need to knock it off entirely.

Only my cell phone, which I forget about most of the time and is rarely charged.

I didn't used to pay much attention to my tablet until I discovered I could play Words With Friends on it without adversely affecting my eyes. (The eye problem is a product of chronic Lyme.) Still, I could easily do without it.

The computer is another story. However, I do sometimes use a free program called Freedom, which cuts off my internet connection if I want to work on a writing project without distraction temptation.

I spend about an hour in the morning catching up on the news, my Etsy shop, here, a jewelry community of which I'm a member and moderator and checking my email. After that's done, it's breakfast, whatever household chores need to be done and I usually spend several hours a day in my studio. I'm too busy during the day to spend much time on the internet. If I take a break from whatever it is I'm doing, I'll get online for a few minutes. In the evenings, after dinner and clean-up is done, is my relaxing time and I usually watch tv and do things on the internet at the same time.

My attitude is much like Marilyn C's in that I have a lot to do and enjoy spending time by myself.

For a long time, we didn't have television, so the internet was the only way we had to keep up with the news as well as being a main source of evening entertainment. I don't have a smart phone, so my phone is for making and receiving calls only.

When we go on trips, we take our laptops with us and spend time in the mornings and evenings catching up with online things. The rest of the time we are out seeing the sights and sometimes we end up on places where internet connections aren't very reliable which means we're "unplugged" whether we like it or not.

I remember being in a hotel in Aruba a few years ago before we had laptops (just desk tops at home) and the only source of internet was a computer in the hotel bar. I used it every few days to check the local news which is how I found out our home was in the path of a forest fire. Having that knowledge prompted me to contact our neighbors for updates so we were in the loop. However, I'm not sure what good it did us because there was nothing we could do it about it from such a difference and knowing about fire being so close just caused worry and stress.

I find it disturbing and kind of sad to see families sitting together at a restaurant but none of them talking to each other because they are all glued to their phones. Or, not fully experiencing an event or attraction because they are paying more attention to their phone than what is going on around them. But, that is their loss (or perhaps they don't consider it such), and none of my business, so I try not to concern myself with such things.

Technology can and does enrich our lives as long as we are in control of the technology and not the other way around.