What It Means to 'Unplug'

We’ve gotten so tangled up in our gadgets and gizmos that we don’t even realize how loud the world has become. It hums and buzzes and dings and beeps. Our calendars yell at us with reminders, our phones light up like fireflies in a jar, and we’ve got more tabs open—on our browsers and in our brains—than we know what to do with.

So, what does it really mean to unplug? Listen in and find out!

Transcript

Episode 171 - What it means to Unplug 

You know, it hit me the other day—I was trying to make a sandwich and check my phone at the same time. I ended up putting my phone in the refrigerator and the mayo in the pantry with the bread. And that, right there, is when I realized something had to give. Technology and I needed to take a little break from each other.

We’ve gotten so tangled up in our gadgets and gizmos that we don’t even realize how loud the world has become. It hums and buzzes and dings and beeps. Our calendars yell at us with reminders, our phones light up like fireflies in a jar, and we’ve got more tabs open—on our browsers and in our brains—than we know what to do with.

So, what does it really mean to unplug?

Unplugging doesn’t mean we need to run off to a cabin in the woods and live like it’s 1842, though I’m not gonna lie, that’s sounding like a better alternative to me  – especially during one of my more chaotic days. But unplugging is more about stepping back. It’s about hushing up all the noise so you can hear your own thoughts again—and maybe even listen to the people in your life without simultaneously replying to a group text and Googling how to get tomato sauce out of your best dish towel.

When we unplug, we give ourselves the gift of presence. And I’m not talking about the kind that comes with a bow on top, although those are nice too. I’m talking about really being present. With yourself, your home, your family. Even with your neighbor who still insists on telling you the same story about his gallbladder surgery every time you walk past his porch.

But let’s be honest here—unplugging isn’t always easy. We’ve trained ourselves to respond instantly. There’s this little jolt of panic when we leave the house without our phones, like we’ve lost a limb or forgotten to wear pants. And Heaven forbid we miss an email or a funny cat video. Our modern brains have gotten used to being plugged in at all times, and they throw a little fit when we try to shut things off.

Here’s the thing though—our souls? Our souls are just waiting for the moment we finally hit the pause button.

When we let go of the screens and the noise, we start to notice the world again. The way the breeze moves through the trees. The smell of coffee brewing in the morning. The comforting creak of the floorboards when the house settles in for the night. These things might seem small, but they’re the heartbeat of a simple life. And we miss them when we’re scrolling through someone else’s dinner or debating whether we should “like” a post about someone’s new dog sweater collection.

Now, I’m not trying to villainize technology. After all, without it, I wouldn’t be able to record this podcast, write my books, or keep my websites going. But there’s a balance to it, like salt in a good soup. Just enough brings out the flavor. Too much, and it’s ruined.

The problem is, most of us are living like someone just knocked the saltshaker right over the pot – without the lid on. We need to get back to a sprinkle of connection, not a flood of it.

And when I say “unplug,” I mean from more than just technology. I mean unplug from expectations. From the feeling that you have to do all the things all the time. From the push to be productive, even on Sunday afternoons when the only thing your body wants to do is sit on the porch and count how many bees are buzzing around your zinnias.

Unplugging is saying, “Nope, not today,” to the hustle. It’s closing the laptop, putting down the to-do list, and letting the day unfold without a plan for every single minute. It’s trading the endless scroll for an actual stroll, maybe even barefoot in the grass if you’re feeling a little wild.

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to just sit still? To do nothing and not feel guilty about it? That’s part of what we have to relearn. We’ve bought into this idea that doing nothing is lazy. But sometimes, doing nothing is the very thing our hearts need most.

When you unplug, you reconnect—not just with others, but with yourself. You remember what brings you joy when no one’s watching. Maybe it’s painting, or gardening, or just sitting quietly with a good book and a delicious cookie. You remember that there’s a difference between rest and distraction. You rediscover the kind of peace that can’t be downloaded or streamed.

Now, for those of us who have grown a little too attached to our screens (and let’s be honest, we all have our moments), it can feel a bit like detoxing. You might twitch a little the first time you leave your phone in another room. Your fingers might instinctively reach for a device the way you’d reach for a light switch during a power outage. It’s muscle memory, and it takes time to rewire.

But give it a few days, and you’ll notice something: your mind starts to settle. Your shoulders drop an inch or two. You’re not as quick to snap or stress. You breathe a little deeper. It’s like your spirit finally gets a chance to stretch after being curled up for too long.

And here’s the fun part—unplugging can actually make life more interesting. You start noticing things you hadn’t seen before. The way the sunlight moves across the room in the afternoon. The sound of your own laughter when you actually look your spouse in the eyes during a conversation instead of glancing at a screen every few seconds. The way a tomato from your own backyard tastes compared to one that’s traveled across the country just to end up in your salad.

One of my favorite ways to unplug is to just step outside. There’s something healing about dirt under your nails and sun on your shoulders. When you’re in the garden, the only buzz you hear is from the bees—not your phone. And somehow, you never feel behind when you're watching something grow.

I’ve also found that writing things by hand slows me down in the best possible way. Whether it’s jotting down a recipe, scribbling a note to a friend, or making a list of dreams for the week, there’s something grounding about paper and pen. It makes you focus. You can’t just backspace your way out of a thought—you have to sit with it, before you put pen to paper. And that sitting? That’s part of the unplugging, too.

And of course, there’s always the good old-fashioned art of doing nothing with someone else. Sitting on the porch with a neighbor. Watching the sunset with your spouse. Listening to your grandkids tell you stories that don’t quite make sense but are 100% entertaining. No phones. No agendas. Just being together.

It’s funny how the simplest moments are the ones that stick with us, isn’t it? No one ever looks back and says, “I’m so glad I spent three hours scrolling through other people’s vacation photos instead of having my own Saturday afternoon adventure.” But we do remember the taste of homemade lemonade. The warmth of a blanket fresh out of the dryer. The way it felt to just be, without feeling pulled in a dozen directions.

So maybe the question isn’t just, “What does it mean to unplug?” Maybe the better question is, “What kind of life do I want to plug into?”

Because when we unplug from the noise, we make space for the good stuff. The slow stuff. The meaningful stuff. And that’s the heart of it, isn’t it? Living a simple life doesn’t mean going backward—it means stepping into something richer, deeper, and more real.

So this week, I challenge you—just a little challenge, nothing extreme. Pick one small way to unplug. Maybe it’s turning off notifications. Maybe it’s leaving your phone in another room during dinner. Maybe it’s taking a walk without earbuds, just you and the birds and the breeze. Whatever it is, do it with intention. Then notice how it feels. Notice what you see and hear and feel when the noise quiets down.

And if you accidentally put your phone in the refrigerator while you’re at it, well... just consider it a good start.

Until next time, keep it simple—and maybe a little unplugged.

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Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.