Unplugging to reconnect

BHAVNA KHEMLANI writes about digital detox and the constant need for stimulation. We need to unplug to destress and reconnect.

The soft hum of conversation filled Bean & Brew, a quaint café tucked away from the city’s relentless pace. The scent of freshly ground coffee mingled with the faint aroma of cinnamon pastries, but neither Alex nor Myna noticed. They sat at their usual corner table, bathed in the warm glow of hanging Edison bulbs where both were staring at their screens, their fingers moving with mechanical precision.

Myna sighed loudly, barely looking up as she scrolled through her notifications. “I swear, if I get one more Slack message, I might actually throw my phone into that plant pot.” She gestured to a tiny monstera in the corner, its leaves stretching toward the sunlight.

Alex smirked but didn’t lift his eyes from his laptop. “I feel you. I woke up to fifty-two emails this morning. On a Sunday. Who does that?”

Myna scoffed. “Apparently, your company. And mine. And every overworked soul on this planet. They don’t get what weekend means. With the rise of AI, they expect us to be faster.” She leaned back, rubbing her temples. “It’s like the world just collectively decided that weekends don’t exist anymore.”

Alex finally closed his laptop with a soft click, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Honestly? I don’t even remember what an actual break feels like. Even when I take time off, I end up checking emails… you know, just in case.”

Myna let out a dry laugh. “Same. My brain never stops buzzing. First thing I do in the morning? Check my phone. Last thing before bed? Check my phone. I can’t even watch a movie without scrolling through Twitter. It’s like my hands are addicted.”

Alex sighed, rubbing his thumb over the edge of his coffee cup. “I read somewhere that we’re literally rewiring our brains to crave distractions. Every time we switch tasks, check notifications, scroll mindlessly; it’s all feeding this constant need for stimulation. This is getting terrible.”

Myna frowned. “That explains a lot. I can’t focus on one thing for more than a few minutes. One second I’m working on a campaign, the next I’m watching a cat video, then answering a random text, then checking an email I don’t even need to answer.”

Alex let out a bitter chuckle, “And it’s messing with our stress levels. I wake up tired, no matter how many hours I sleep. My mind never actually rests. I tend to get stressed and not having any time for myself.”

Myna studied him for a moment, a thought forming in her mind. “You ever hear of digital detoxing?”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “You mean, like, deleting Instagram for a week?”

“Not just that. Some people take full breaks from screens; no emails, no social media, no mindless scrolling. They replace screen time with real rest. Reading, walking, writing, yoga, mindfulness…”

Alex squinted. “Mindfulness? Like, meditation?”

“Yeah.” Myna nodded. “Or just being present. Not thinking about a hundred things at once. Just… being. Reconnecting with nature or spending time with Nature.”

Alex exhaled slowly, staring at his phone as if seeing it for the first time. “That sounds… hard.”

“But also, nice, right?” Myna grinned. “Imagine actually enjoying your coffee without checking your phone. Reading a book or do some writing or even going to the park or go for a swim. Meet some friends to play sports or do Zumba or play boardgames. Just no phone or laptop or even YouTube or Netflix for some time. Perhaps have a good sleep and eat the right diet.”

Alex tilted his head, considering it. “I mean… I’d probably go through withdrawals, but sure.”

Myna laughed. “Come on. Let’s try it. A mini digital detox; right now. Let’s just pause longer. Like for one hour. We can take a power nap for 15 mins then get something to eat by walking to another café. It will be like having a short walk. We won’t check our phones. Just for one hour. Let’s try that.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Like, put our phones away? No emails, no notifications?”

“Yep. Just us, coffee, good food and actual conversation on travels, books or even mindfulness.”

Alex hesitated. His fingers hovered over his phone, like an addict debating whether to quit cold turkey. Finally, with a deep breath, he flipped it face down on the table. “Okay. But if I start twitching, you’re responsible.”

Myna smirked and did the same. “Deal.”

For a moment, the silence between them felt strange, like an empty space they weren’t used to. But then something shifted.

They talked. Really talked.

They laughed about old college memories, debated whether pineapple belonged on pizza, shared travel stories that had nothing to do with work. They savored their coffee, ordered pizza, noticing the warmth of the cup in their hands, the rich bitterness of the espresso, the faint sweetness of cinnamon lingering in the air. Trying pizza with pineapple was joy for them. Then they closed their eyes for five minutes trying to be more in present. 

For the first time in years, they were fully present.

And that one hour turned into a habit.

Slowly, they started incorporating more mindful moments into their lives with morning walks without their phones, dinners without distractions, entire weekends dedicated to real-life experiences.

And as they unplugged from their screens, they found themselves reconnecting with each other, with the world, and most importantly, with themselves.

This way they were able to focus on their well-being and have better time management with the work life, too.