"We increasingly miss out on the important moments of our lives as we pass the hours with our noses buried in our devices." They said it so well. The National Day of Unplugging is the first Friday of March so RecWell invites you to UNPLUG. What do we mean?!

• Americans spend an average of 7 hours on technology daily. 
• A good balance of time spent on and off technology is beneficial to both physical and mental health.
• “Unplugged” likely means something different for everyone, whether it’s not using your phone while you’re with others, avoiding email during dinner, or spending less time on social media.
• Exercise can improve sleep, decrease feelings of depression, help protect against feelings of anxiety, boost self-confidence, and improve focus and productivity.
• Disconnect from technology and connect with us in person! 

With something for everyone, Recreation & Wellness offers multiple opportunities to do so. Become more mindful of your time and better balance it with exercising, having meaningful conversations, spending time outdoors, playing sports, or anything else that enhances your overall health and wellbeing. Use those extra "unplugged" hours each day doing something good for you, and just enjoy the world and people around you! Whatever you take away, we hope that you get involved, be active, and live healthy.

Unplugged is now part of our Press Pause campaign.

Get involved!

Learn the facts!

Tell us why you unplug.

Year-Round

While our Unplugged campaign typically lasts a week during the academic year, we understand that there's great value in unplugging more often than that. That's why we hope this concept becomes top-of-mind past this campaign. There's so many things happening around us and ways to disconnect from technology. 

Save these cards and share them on your social accounts to let others know you're taking a break! 

We know there are pros; we know there are cons. So, we did some research and pulled together some data, articles, and facts so you can learn more about it. 

• Some studies have shown that students not using their phone in the class wrote down 62% more information in their notes, were able to recall more information, and on average scored a full letter and half grade higher on an exam compared to those on their phones. 
• Excessive phone and internet usage is also linked to anxiety, which is concerning when more than 45% of teenagers report being online “almost constantly.” College students like us are following similar trends. 
• Not to mention, spending too much time on the phone is actually linked to feeling more lonely - the opposite of what it is supposed to be doing. 
• Americans spend an average of 7 hours on technology. These numbers are increasing exponentially. 
• Constant technology usage can also cause eye strain, headaches, fatigue, and decreased creativity. 

OTHER RESOURCES

• RecWell Blog: A World of Constant Distraction
• The Happiness Lab: Mistakenly Seeking Solitude
• Want to feel happier today? Try talking to a stranger
• Why Excessive Consumption Limits Your Creativity
• 5 Scientifically Proven Benefits to Unplugging
• 7 Important Reasons to Unplug and Find Space
• The Health Benefits of Unplugging
• 5 Reasons to Unplug from Technology after Work
• The Innovation of Loneliness 

Find something you'd like to share with us? Let us know by emailing [email protected]! 

In the News

• Signing out: Recreation and Wellness says unplug from technology and attend healthy events (2020)
• Rec encouraging GVSU community to unplug from technology, participate in healthy events (2019)
• NIRSA Region III Program Spotlight (2019) 
• “Unplugged” campaign encourages mindful usage of technology (2018)

How do you UNPLUG?

We want to hear from you!

• Did you participate in any of our programs or events over the last 2 weeks?
• Did you learn anything new about Recreation & Wellness?
• How has spending less time on social media or with technology helped you? 
• Have you done anything else recently to unplug? 

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