A realization:

I think much better when I spend long periods of time offline.

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A week-long thinking retreat

My most interesting experience in Havana, Cuba:

Not having internet access for a week.

Why was this good? When you spend a week NOT being distracted by the internet, you have longer swaths of time to think. Many thoughts require time, contemplation, reflection, meditation, and un-interruption. I also believe that if your desire is to think more, or have more interesting thoughts, spend more time offline, or spend more time disconnected.

The joy of thinking

The joy of thinking. The joy of spending long periods of time to reflect, to walk, and to be disconnected from the noise of the outside world.

The less noise you expose yourself to, the more “signal” (your own thoughts) can come to you.

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Reading and writing

It seems that reading and writing is like peanut and butter. The two seem to have a great effect in terms of thinking, then putting thoughts to paper.

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I encourage people to take a week off from the internet

To be frank, it seems the best way to disconnect from the internet for a week is to go to Havana, Cuba for a week. If we have the temptation to use the internet, we won’t use it. Other options can include backpacking for a week without internet access, camping without internet access, etc.

I call it a mental detox, or perhaps “internet fasting”. To fast from the internet for certain periods of time seems to be beneficial. I can say myself, I feel like my brain-signaling mechanisms have re-aligned themselves. Perhaps fasting from the internet for certain periods of time actually allows for uninterrupted thought, and better “metabolic thinking”.

Reclaim your focus

Some other practical ideas:

1. Use the “Freedom” app to disconnect your wifi for certain periods of time.
2. Turn off your phone past a certain time during the day. For example after dinner, just turn off your phone completely. If you gotta use it for an alarm clock, then switch it to airplane mode.
3. During the morning, use this time to NOT get distracted. Don’t check your email or your phone. Ideally in the morning your phone would be off, or switched to airplane mode.

More offline thoughts to come!

ERIC

Offline Cuba Thoughts

Thoughts I wrote while offline for the week:

PDF E-MAGAZINE: CUBA by ERIC KIM

My first trip in Cuba. Free PDF download here:Free PDF Download: CUBA 2020

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CUBA THOUGHTS

Some thoughts after being offline for about a week:Download ZIP of text files: Cuba Thoughts – ERIC KIMDownload