Shutting Off

02/20/2013

Another of my favorite images comes from one of many hunting trips I've been on in the last 24 years. This is my dad and we're in one of our favorite areas, somewhere we go every year. This picture really symbolizes my dad. He's always out in front and he's always looking ahead of us and scanning our surroundings. No amount of elevation or hiking or area to cover is ever going to stop him. I love the scale of this picture because it really shows how small we are in our surroundings, especially when we're in the wilderness.

05/03/2012

Great article!

http://thehappyfamilymovement.com/2012/03/five-simple-steps-to-choosing-your-kids-over-your-phone/

I still remember the moment we decided to…

04/25/2012

Here's an idea on how to shut off with some friends or family. Visit Jim Bishop's Castle, located in the Wet Mountains in southern Colorado. This place is truly an adult version of the coolest McDonald's Playplace you'll ever see. Jim's been building his castle - by hand with rocks, cement and wrought iron - for over 40 years.

This adventure isn't for anyone with acrophobia (fear of heights, not spiders). The castle rises over 100 feet above the ground, and the entire structure is open to exploration. You can climb, crawl or tip-toe your way just about anywhere the narrow walkways, awkwardly spiraling staircases, and Sara-Palin-esque bridges to no where will take you. Entrance is free, but user donations help Jim keep the castle rising to new heights.

Be ready for a 2.5 hour drive south and west from Denver, and bring a lunch. You'll be in the San Isabel National Forest with plenty of places to relax and enjoy an afternoon with friends in the woods.

04/05/2012

Interesting article about distracted driving and the idea that it only takes 2 seconds. I can admit that I'm a much worse driver when I'm using my phone.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/28/us/distracted-driving-dangers/index.html?iref=allsearch

Experts at a distracted driving forum discussed the time difference between an engaged driver and a distracted one.

04/03/2012

Did anyone take some time to memorize a phone number of someone other than your significant other or parents? If so, tell us why you chose that person. Do they live nearby? Do they always seem to have a solution to strange problems? Are they reliable?

I memorized Andrew's phone number because he usually answers and would pick me up on the side of the road if my car broke down. I chose him based on an emergency situation.

03/16/2012

This week is the well-known start to March Madness. Productivity at work plummets, normally punctual employees show up late, leave early, or oddly call in sick after letting everyone else in the office know they've been "coming down with something" for first few days of the week. The NCAA charges $4 for access to every tournament game live on your computer, mobile phone or tablet - I know, I paid for it.

It's not easy to shut off sometimes. So many options compete for our digital attention, and it's easy to feel starved when we're used to constant consumption. Try hard to spend an hour during each of the next few days shut off. Considering watching the end of a round of games, then taking your hour to clean up the house, walk the dog, or take a shower to wash the chip crumbs out of your beard. Come back and catch the end of the second half, and you're done!

Let's get back to the basketball.

03/14/2012

A by-product of too many choices? Decision purgatory. Aner Sela of the University of Florida and Jonah Berger of the Wharton School believe that an over-abundance of choices in our lives today confuse our brains, which naturally assume more options correlate to a greater significance associated with the decision. Therefore, we often allocate more time to making simple decisions, even when they are of limited importance.

I find myself in decision quicksand in the same situations the author discusses - choice of toothbrush, news article online, or movie at Redbox. Limiting our options - including what we do with our time - can reduce stress and make us happier.

Have you shut off today?

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by deciding what brand of toothpaste to buy or what flight to book, two marketing professors think they know why.

03/12/2012

Let's start the week with a challenge. Memorize the mobile phone number of the person you'd call first if your car broke down on the side of the highway (and you didn't have your cell phone). To make it interesting, this can't be your significant other or parent's house line. Chose someone you think is likely to pick up when you call and would come to help you out. After all, you don't want to waste your brain space with useless numbers. Tell us why you chose who you chose, and if you've ever been in a similar situation where having someone's number memorized made your life much easier.

Francis, thanks for the idea for this challenge.

03/06/2012

Awesome day here in Denver. I'm sure many of you will be going out for a run or bike ride or to walk the dog. Today try doing it without your phone or iPod.

03/02/2012

Looks like it will be a nice weekend I hope everyone can pledge at least one hour to spend some time shutting off. Let us know what you did and I'll see you next week!

03/01/2012

Yesterday, I spent some time with co-workers shutting off at Happy Jack cross country ski area outside of Laramie, Wyoming. The wind was howling in the parking lot, but the trails are well protected by the trees. It was my first time on cross-country skis, and although it took a while to get the hang of "skating" I enjoyed the experience. Next time I won't waste so much time and energy figuring out the motions.

Today, my body is reeling a bit from the exertion. For me, cross country skiing is one of those activities that uses muscles your body didn't know it had. It's a wake up call for parts of my legs more accustomed to pounding the pavement than gliding along well-groomed forest trails. If you're looking for a nice way to spend a weekend (and shut off for a couple of hours), visit Happy Jack (no admission cost) after stopping by the Cross Country Connection in Laramie to rent some skis.

The Cross Country Connection is Laramie's finest outdoor store

02/28/2012

Here's a fun distraction - about being distracted. These quick "games" test your ability to filter out distractions and irrelevant information, and to switch between tasks. Take the tests and post your scores.

Measure your ability to filter out distractions in this test based on a Stanford study.