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Log Off: How to Stay Connected after Disconnecting
IT'S OFFICIAL: excessive "internetting,” smartphoning, and social media make us miserable. But it doesn't have to be that way. Over the last decade, recognized journalist Blake Snow rigorously researched, tested, and developed several connectivity strategies for finding offline balance in an online world, which resulted in this, his first book. In Log Off: How to Stay Connected after Disconnecting, Snow passionately, succinctly, and sometimes humorously explains how to hit refresh for good, do more with less online, live large on low-caloric technology, increase facetime with actual people, outperform workaholics in half the time, and tunefully blend both analog and digital lives with no regrets. If the “offline balance movement” is real, this is its playbook.
102 pages, Paperback
Published December 18, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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January 19, 2023Everyone should read this. Under a hundred pages of a solid, informed stance on the role- and unintended consequences- of technology in our lives. Not preachy and not self righteous. A great objective view on the way we interact with technology being the root of the problem, not the tech itself.
Really a no-bullshit way of determining what online behaviors you’re partaking in that are straight up ways of coping with existing + seeking social gratification, instead of the connective and social experience we convince ourselves they are. The first step is acknowledging the problem, and this book gives you tools to combat the endless dopamine loop and distraction to whatever degree is best for you.
Really a no-bullshit way of determining what online behaviors you’re partaking in that are straight up ways of coping with existing + seeking social gratification, instead of the connective and social experience we convince ourselves they are. The first step is acknowledging the problem, and this book gives you tools to combat the endless dopamine loop and distraction to whatever degree is best for you.
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April 8, 2019"I used to work 11-hour weekdays and half-day Saturdays, and I was mentally consumed with work for much of the remainder," Blake Snow reveals in his new book, Log Off: How to Stay Connected after Disconnecting.
Like my book, Outsmart Your Smartphone, Log Off offers some useful tips on how to create a better relationship with technology.
Here are some tips from the book:
1. Remove distractions
Blake teaches us about the four burners theory—your four burners are family, friends, health, and work. Anything that is not essential to your four burners should be removed. "That means no alerts, beeps, buzzes, or notifications of any kind, perhaps with the exception of voicemails for emergencies." But Blake notes that "most emergencies are imagined." By instituting these practices and removing distractions, we focus on what really matters and make better use of our time.
2. Don't glamorize busyness
It seems silly how proud we are of being busy. Blake notes that explanations of, "I'm so busy!" are really just our attempts to avoid making hard choices about how we live our lives. Staying busy is easier than taking time to pursue what would really make us happy. Worse yet, the Internet makes it so easy to be "busy" indefinitely. So be careful not to glamorize busyness. By doing so, you can start to think more clearly about how you are choosing to spend your time.
3. Always ask "why" when you pull out your phone
Sure, our smartphones are handy tools for finding out answers, keeping in touch with friends, or even checking the time. But often, more often than we think, we use our phones to distract, to avoid, or to ignore whatever is happening right in front of us.
"I truly believe that keeping our phones in our pockets is one of the bravest things that any of us can do," Blake says in the book. Instead of pushing down our anxiety—perhaps when we're sitting alone or just feeling alone with a group of people—we can choose not to use our phones as a security blanket. Then we remember how to be present and grateful for the moment.
4. Try using the rule of thirds
Divide your life into thirds—8 hours for work, 8 hours for sleep, and 8 hours free. Working more does not actually make us more productive. Working smart and keeping time free allows our minds to wander in ways that make the hours we do work more effective. In fact, research shows that for rote workers, more than 40 hours per week diminishes productivity; for creative workers, more than 20 hours per week does. So if you let your smartphone be your work ball-and-chain, you're not doing yourself any favors when it comes to productivity.
5. Periodically, fast from electronics
Yes, literally fast. Blake says that his family will spend an entire week—once in the spring and once in the fall—with no electronic devices. Having tried this technique myself last year, I can't overstate how positive the effects are. Although it feels a little scary at first, an electronics fast forces you to connect with others and with yourself, which turns out to be a pretty amazing experience.
Like my book, Outsmart Your Smartphone, Log Off offers some useful tips on how to create a better relationship with technology.
Here are some tips from the book:
1. Remove distractions
Blake teaches us about the four burners theory—your four burners are family, friends, health, and work. Anything that is not essential to your four burners should be removed. "That means no alerts, beeps, buzzes, or notifications of any kind, perhaps with the exception of voicemails for emergencies." But Blake notes that "most emergencies are imagined." By instituting these practices and removing distractions, we focus on what really matters and make better use of our time.
2. Don't glamorize busyness
It seems silly how proud we are of being busy. Blake notes that explanations of, "I'm so busy!" are really just our attempts to avoid making hard choices about how we live our lives. Staying busy is easier than taking time to pursue what would really make us happy. Worse yet, the Internet makes it so easy to be "busy" indefinitely. So be careful not to glamorize busyness. By doing so, you can start to think more clearly about how you are choosing to spend your time.
3. Always ask "why" when you pull out your phone
Sure, our smartphones are handy tools for finding out answers, keeping in touch with friends, or even checking the time. But often, more often than we think, we use our phones to distract, to avoid, or to ignore whatever is happening right in front of us.
"I truly believe that keeping our phones in our pockets is one of the bravest things that any of us can do," Blake says in the book. Instead of pushing down our anxiety—perhaps when we're sitting alone or just feeling alone with a group of people—we can choose not to use our phones as a security blanket. Then we remember how to be present and grateful for the moment.
4. Try using the rule of thirds
Divide your life into thirds—8 hours for work, 8 hours for sleep, and 8 hours free. Working more does not actually make us more productive. Working smart and keeping time free allows our minds to wander in ways that make the hours we do work more effective. In fact, research shows that for rote workers, more than 40 hours per week diminishes productivity; for creative workers, more than 20 hours per week does. So if you let your smartphone be your work ball-and-chain, you're not doing yourself any favors when it comes to productivity.
5. Periodically, fast from electronics
Yes, literally fast. Blake says that his family will spend an entire week—once in the spring and once in the fall—with no electronic devices. Having tried this technique myself last year, I can't overstate how positive the effects are. Although it feels a little scary at first, an electronics fast forces you to connect with others and with yourself, which turns out to be a pretty amazing experience.
April 6, 2018
A wealth of information leads to a poverty of focus. In this book the author talks about how over Interneting leads to king syndrome , and how to kill the king. He doesn’t recommend eliminating all technology, but rather being intentional about choices for Internet uses and apps, turning off mobile internet on nights and weekends, avoiding the real time information stream, and being a late adopter. This book is a quick read, but has an important message
December 21, 2017
I’m seeing improvements already
This shirt and to the point book had me making online and offline changes immediately. There are noticeable changes even after the first day.
The author has an engaging writing style. If you use technology and you want more out of life, then you’ll get a lot out of this book.
I will likely read this book again. This is an ongoing pursuit to log off.
This shirt and to the point book had me making online and offline changes immediately. There are noticeable changes even after the first day.
The author has an engaging writing style. If you use technology and you want more out of life, then you’ll get a lot out of this book.
I will likely read this book again. This is an ongoing pursuit to log off.
December 31, 2017
Great advice and fun to read
The author has a great voice that is fun to read/hear. Great advice and awesome to hear someone be successful at finding balance in this overconnected world. (Ironically, once I finished reading the Kindle version, I was at first unable to post this review because my Internet connection was down!)
The author has a great voice that is fun to read/hear. Great advice and awesome to hear someone be successful at finding balance in this overconnected world. (Ironically, once I finished reading the Kindle version, I was at first unable to post this review because my Internet connection was down!)
May 3, 2023
This was a very quick read and though I greatly appreciate the messaging, it really is just telling you to have more self-control. Which, granted, is the only way to put an end to the dopamine loop, but everyone already knows they spend too much time on their phone yet shouldn’t.
July 24, 2023
A quick, easy read. I guess I wanted more from this book, but the messages are useful and insightful. Key take-away is to control the phone, don’t let the phone control you. A message we all know, but can be reminded of regularly for a quick refresh and reset.
May 16, 2022
4.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews