Technology Detox: Analog Lifestyle Tips to Improve Your Next Camping Trip
Unplug from Technology and Plug Into the Outdoors
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Camping is about becoming one with nature. Ok, maybe that’s a little much, but it really is about enjoying the great outdoors—something most city dwellers don’t really get to do outside of their backyards and neighborhood parks. When you go camping, though, you’re surrounded by trees and mountains, desert and cliffs, wildlife and water. It sometimes feels like an entirely different environment than the one we usually live in, safe inside our homes with our TVs and electricity.
Just how you enjoy nature depends completely on how you camp. Camping in a tent, for example, is quite a bit different than camping in an RV. And camping in a pop-up is a lot different than camping in a Class A motorcoach. Obviously, camp however you want to. But, there’s definitely something to be said for letting nature take control and enjoying it to its fullest extent.
One of the major reasons we go camping, whether in a tent or in a luxury motorhome, is to recharge our batteries a little. To get away from the daily hustle and bustle that wears on us so much that we literally feel phantom vibrations from our cell phones and wake up in the middle of the night wondering if we sent that email or not. When you’re nature, you can truly get away from it all. Below you’ll find a few tips for having a technology detox and the analog lifestyle tips and activities you can not only implement in your camping trip but also in your day-to-day life.
Put the Phone Away
This one seems like an obvious analog lifestyle tip but there are a lot of layers to this. These handy little devices have proven to change the way we live, in many ways for the better. But in a lot of other ways, they’ve disrupted our circadian rhythms and have led to greater feelings of anxiety and stress. Try some of these trips on your camping trip:
Forget the Smartphone Alarm
When we use our phones as alarms, we’re keeping them within reach, so that (even on Do Not Disturb) we’re easily tempted to use them. Instead, go for a proper alarm clock. Or, if you’re camping, wake up whenever you wake up. Get some rest. You’ll thank yourself. Just leave your phone plugged in away from the bed. Or better yet, turn it off for the night.
Turn Off Alerts
Technology has programmed us to check our phones every time we see an alert pop up. Everything is instantaneous. When we’re not prompted by those little pop-ups, we’re much less likely to check and see what it is we’re missing out on—and more likely to enjoy our current surroundings.
Shutter the Camera
Having a (very nice) camera in our pockets at all times makes it easy to capture memories as they happen. But psychologists have found that taking pictures of things actually disrupts our enjoyment of them. As you’re staring out at one of the most beautiful sights you’ve seen, sit and enjoy it with your own two eyes before you stare at it through a screen and labor over framing it appropriately.
Stop Being Social
Social media apps are fine and good for sharing life updates. But, no one needs a life update from you when you’re supposed to be unplugged and relaxing. At the same time, you don’t need to know what others are doing at that time. In fact, studies have shown the more time you spend on social media platforms, the more dissatisfied you become—even if you’re living a perfectly happy existence.
Read a Book
One of the best ways to unplug is to read. Whether you’re dipping into a nice, hearty tome of fiction or learning how to become a better mountaineer, a book takes what’s stressing you away and puts you in a different environment. While you’re at it, consider picking up the old-fashioned kind, especially if you’re going to read at night. Studies show that the light emitted from e-readers can lead to insomnia.
Take a Hike
One of the beautiful things about a lot of National Parks is that there’s little cell service to be found. Get out on a nice, long, winding trail, and suddenly all of the sights and sounds and smells of nature will make it much easier to forget about your cell phone that’s back at camp. Pack a bag, pack a lunch, and even pack a yoga mat for some nice stretching out in the woods.
Pick Up a Hobby
Sure, you’re thinking that being out camping is a terrible time to start a hobby, but that’s not true. You’re unbothered by most things out there. You have all the time in the world. So, learn to cook or bake bread using a campfire. Bring a pad of paper and a few pencils and teach yourself to draw. Be a camp stereotype and bring an acoustic guitar to sing songs. Or bring along a journal and a pen and write about your escapades over the course of the day. Who knows? You may find a new career path as an outdoors writer.
With these analog lifestyle tips in mind, you’ll be sure to better enjoy and be more in the moment during your next camping trip or outdoor adventure. So get out there and hear the chirps and sounds of nature, not your phone or TV!
