Friday night, I was cooking shrimp tacos over a two-top burner wearing a headlight, miner-style. It had gotten dark out while we were in the tent, but we were too hungry to give up on dinner altogether. I would normally insert a goofy photo of myself in said headlight here, but I cut all ties to technology this past weekend.

Pause. Gasp.

Yep, four glorious days of no beeps, clicks or chimes in sight. I spent the weekend in deep connection with another human, not to mention lush, untouched nature. This is all just a fancy way of saying I went camping on a lake and had a ton of fun, if you didn’t catch that.

I returned to the office this morning feeling more nimble-fingered, light and focused than ever. Instead of feeling on the verge of carpal tunnel syndrome, I moved through my tasks with pleasure and lovingly answered my co-workers questions and pondered their ideas.

You’re probably rolling your eyes right now, and I don’t blame you. I doubted the power of disconnecting too – I’m just as attached to my iPhone 5 (and iPad, and MacBook) as the next 20-something woman, and used to think that I definitely needed to stay up on every minute of news and social media.

Quite the opposite:

Information overload leaves us with little to no real knowledge, let alone wisdom.

I’ve had a strong feeling lately that technology drains my battery life, and I need breaks. I love and cherish tools and gadgets, but not at my expense.

Do you feel yourself impulsively checking your smart phone at every free minute, mindlessly scrolling through Instagram without even absorbing the photos, and so dazed that you accidentally retweet Justin Bieber?

If so, I’m here to tell you that maybe you need a break, and for good reason:

1. Your nervous system gets a chance to recoil and mend. Every time we simply look at our phones, a mini surge of cortisol rushes through our bodies. Why? Because we never know what we might see. Sure, we tell ourselves we’re immune to comparison and FOMO (fear of missing out), but we’re all prone to at least enough to get our stress hormones constantly pumping at a low-level. When we’re constantly getting hit by these mini stressors, our bodies go into fight or flight mode, and hang on to fat to protect us. No thanks. When you let go of technology, even for a weekend, you’re creating an environment that leads to… your ideal weight, clear skin, a calm mind, and no anxiety.
2. You’ll have more meaningful relationships, and better sex. Being constantly plugged into technology gives us a false sense of what relationships and sex look like. Most of what you see on the Internet is positioned, polished and propped to convey a shiny image that probably isn’t very accurate. You can’t put a filter on your life, so why spend so much of your time bouncing between Mayfair, Earlybird and Rise? And that’s just three of the 20 filters Instagram offers. When we’re tuned into our surroundings, rather than what’s going on in our heads and on our screens, we make awesome connections with other humans and get real satisfaction – in the bedroom and beyond. This means… more pleasure (hello serotonin), amazing mood, and a happy partner and friends.
3. You’ll be sharper. Our brains aren’t meant to be switched on 24/7 – when we’re on the toilet, in the elevator, even walking down the street. Our days have built-in breaks – meals, showers, conversations – that shouldn’t be hindered by a constant stream of new information. These are times to get out of your head and into your heart, body and intuition. If you’re constantly following what’s trending on Twitter and formulating 20 perfect Tweets per day, your brain is on overdrive, and you’ll end up feeling dull and foggy when it’s really time to work. When we feel relaxed and not supercharged on technology and radiation, we’re able to make clear, conscious choices – whether career, relationship or food-related – and stick to them. When you unplug and recharge, expect incredible things to happen at work, like a huge surge of creative inspiration, a big promotion, or both.

Are you feeling drained by technology? Could you use a break? Maybe you already have some self-imposed tech-free zones?

Ask questions and share your tips in the comments section below.

In the spirit of slowing down this week, I have a beautiful, simple recipe for you that requires your hands. Drop your handheld for (at least) 20 minutes and make this gorgeous risotto. This dish is a super easy crowd-pleaser, filled with bright spring flavors and dairy-free creaminess.

Springtime Risotto
 
Ingredients

1.5 cups Arborio rice
5-7 cups stock or water
½ cup white wine (that you would drink – at least on a Monday)
1 large white onion
¼ stalk rhubarb
1 yellow bell pepper
2 bunches fresh basil
1 bay leaf
½ cup coconut milk
1 T honey
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 orange
Olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper

Technique
 
Add 3-5 T olive oil to heavy-bottom pan and bring to medium heat. Dice onion and add to pot, allowing to sweat for a few minutes. Throw in bay leaf. Finely chop rhubarb and add. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until translucent.

In separate pot alongside, bring all of your stock or water to a boil, then reduce to low heat. Chop yellow pepper and add to the mix, cooking for 5-7minutes.
Rinse rice and add to oil and vegetables, coating grains completely. Add salt and pepper here to begin layering your flavors. Add 1 cup hot liquid and stir constantly until liquid is absorbed. Keep adding liquid slowly, cup by cup, until the grains produce their own milky sauce and cook through. It should take around 20 minutes. Add your wine near the end of cooking, stirring in just as you would your other liquid.

Once cooked, turn the heat off. Roughly chop basil and stir in. Stir in lemon and orange juice, honey, and coconut milk at the very end. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your palette.

Enjoy!

Let me know if you have questions about this recipe – I’m here to help.

Photo: Daniel Cassady