5 (ALMOST) FREE ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY WITH YOUR PARTNER DURING A DIGITAL DETOX

It can sometimes feel as though we spend, and share our entire lives online. It is so easy to access information now with smart phones, and free wi-fi in most places that we surround ourselves with technology. Technology can be an amazing tool, but what if you want to unplug and spend time away from a screen? A recent survey by Cartridge Save found that 65% of people want to take time away from the internet and their phone at some point. Whilst some people enjoy baking in their tech free time, others enjoy gardening. I personally like to spend my non tech time with my husband and daughter, as most of my hobbies include being online.

I like to think there are plenty of activities that don't involve anything digital, yet can also include someone else, so I thought that today I would share 5 activities that I enjoy with my husband away from the screen.

DRIVE WITH NO DESTINATION IN MIND

Have you ever just jumped in the car and driven around with no particular destination in mind? It's something that my husband and I used to do on a regular basis. We would take it in turns to pick the next direction. Sometimes we ended up in the middle of nowhere, even a little bit lost, but we always had fun, and we always managed to find a way home without even using our phones. In fact we've even used an old school map before! We've found some lovely country pubs and new places to visit by doing this. It's a lot harder now that we have a toddler, but when she is napping in the car we still sometimes set off with no destination in mind.

BREAK OUT THE BOARD GAMES

I love a good board game night, and it's something my husband and I try to do once a week when Elise has gone to bed. We turn off the television, we put our phones to one side and we just enjoy a game of scrabble. Not only does it develop our vocabulary, but it also creates plenty of opportunity to laugh and just enjoy each other's company. We keep a tally of who wins, and then at the end of the year the person with the most wins gets a lovely treat. It's worth checking out some local cafes and restaurants too for playing board games. Some host game nights, and one of the cafes near us has board games out that you can play anytime. Perfect for a lazy afternoon!

TAKE A PEN TO PAPER

For both my husband (who is a spreadsheet geek usually) and I, sometimes planning can be just as fun as the activity you are planning for. I started keeping a bullet journal around a year ago, and really enjoy jotting down ideas for day trips in there. I find it the perfect break away from technology, and it is something that both my husband and I look at. Writing things down in a notebook is just so satisfying to me. Yes, we do keep a record on the computer too, but I love both sitting down and jotting ideas, and planning our week on paper too. We are also pretty happy making a good list. Being able to tick things off once you have completed them is just so much more satisfying then deleting them off a phone. 

CREATE SOMETHING TOGETHER

Creating doesn't have to be arts and crafts or sewing. The kind of creating we love to do together is of the music variety. We love getting together and learning a new song, or having a sing song. I must admit, I'm not as great as Steffan, but we have a good laugh together. It's also something that Elise can get involved in. She's already showing a huge interest in music, and I think it is because she sees how much fun we have creating music together. We are definitely a musical family, and I love that we can share a passion together. We also like to check out free music events that are put on in the local area. The season for this is just about to start, so I'm sure you'll be seeing some photos of this on my blog and social media. 

VOLUNTEER AT AN ANIMAL RESCUE CENTRE

It's been a few years now since we adopted our greyhound Chloe, and we adopted her from a greyhound rescue centre. Since adopting Chloe, we've also fostered a few dogs who needed some help, and we've also been to walk dogs at the local greyhound centre. It is so much fun to go and help out, and the charities really appreciate it. These dogs deserve all the love in the world, and simply taking them for a walk makes their day, and can even make your day too. Some dogs are in rescue centres for a long period of time yet they still get so excited about any human contact. Trust me, this will be one of the best experiences of your life, and it doesn't cost you a penny.

So there are 5 almost free activities that you can enjoy with your partner whilst staying away from the technology.  I say almost free because taking part in these activities may lead to you spending some money whilst on your adventures...they can be as cheap or as expensive as you want them to be. Do you ever want to take time away from technology? 

SARAH HUGHES

Follow Information from a press release by Cartridge Save. For more information on the research, please visit Web Gazette.