A Digital Detox

Sarah Allen • March 23, 2019

Is it time you tried a tech-free day?

A few Sunday’s ago I had a #digitaldetox – but I still wrote this post! I went all old-school and used a pen and paper instead of typing directly into my phone! I’ve been thinking I ought to do this again for a while (the only other times were my birthday weekend last year and for most of the time when on holiday in Italy). Late to social media – I only really started engaging in Facebook just over 2 years ago when I started Rhubarb and Runner Beans- it has now become part of my daily life. I'm also on Instagram, Twitter, Patreon and YouTube. I love it and I am not saying it’s a bad thing but it can take over. Do you find that?

Initially as I started to find more and more inspiring Facebook pages and groups I lapped it up! It was so refreshing to find an online community that reflected my ideas and attitudes. I then fell foul of the “aimless scroll” – you know when you aren’t even reading just looking and searching, you know in case you miss something good! I’ve almost eliminated this ‘just keep scrolling, just keep scrolling behaviour’. Usually I quickly stop myself when I feel that familiar, constant swiping of the screen!

I tend now to mostly use social media to share and write, I love expressing my thoughts. Seeing the reactions and reading the comments is part of it. I know if no one read I’d have stopped writing by now. When a notification appears, I’m not going to lie, I get a little buzz of happiness. By reading and responding to comments I have grown – in confidence (when people are positive), in resilience (if people are unkind – this is very rare), in terms of my adventure towards eco-friendly living etc. But quickly I fell foul to the constant checking. Do I have any notifications? I’ll just check! I better respond IMMEDIATELY, It’ll help boost my post, get a conversation going etc. I’ve also fallen foul to the daily posting – my page will drop-off people’s newsfeeds if I don’t! I like to write so I write a post. But then I need to check and respond! This can all take a lot of time and I’ve realised sometimes I am doing it because of a ‘should’ feeling rather than a conscious choice. So this feels like negative behaviour. Lucy Aitken Reed from Lulastic Hippyshake posted a video recently about internet addiction. It got me thinking – I even felt quite unsettled by it! I then read in the last edition of The Green Parent magazine the article ‘How and Why to have a Digital Detox’ so it felt I was being pushed and pulled in this direction.

Sunday seemed the perfect day to start (and the day after these thoughts) so I decided to give it a go. It started, as usual, with my husband bringing me a cup of tea in bed. I normally check my notifications (I know – I feel terrible!) and write a Sundayish post – self-care, connecting with nature, #slowsunday being the normal theme. Instead I had a conversation with my husband!

I have to admit (with the risk of damaging my already low street-cred!) I’m a fan of watching the repeat of Country File on a Sunday morning. I asked my husband to check on his phone what time it was on – as I wasn’t allowed!! After watching this with the kids and some more tea accompanied with toast I started the RSPB “Big Garden Watch” which they run one weekend per year. I enter the results online – the more zero-waste option (I don’t need a paper form). It seems this digital detox is going to be tricky! I decide to go online –just for this. As soon as I turn my Wi-Fi on two messages beep from messenger, I don’t open them and turn off Wi-Fi after my hour long bird watch.

The night before this detox I made a list of possible things to do so I consult the list and do a bit of making – a lining (made from a worn out dress) for a white basket I’ve bought. I’m going to use it to store make-up and I don’t want to ruin it. I declutter a bit whilst looking through my fabric and my endless sewing supplies.

After lunch, I read a chapter from my book (I definitely would normally check notifications). I go back to the book ‘The Artist’s Way’ which I have dipped into but not followed up with many of the tasks. I complete two. Then I feel compelled to write. So I write this. It was meant to be a Facebook post but has clearly turned into a blog post now! If I’d written it straight on to social media I would have probably condensed my thoughts into a more acceptable length for others to read whilst scrolling through their newsfeed. I obviously have a need to write so I haven’t changed that (and don’t want to!). I choose instead to type this up another day meaning I will leave notification checking and responding to comments for another day too! Don’t stop commenting though. I do still love reading them. I just need to have some time away too. A time to gather my own thoughts and not be influenced by the thoughts of others; a time to focus on other things in life.

My kids are currently playing Top Trumps, I am going to take on the winner. I might then actually make some oat milk – I’ve only ever done this once but never got round to doing it again, despite the intention. I never seem to find (make) time! Then perhaps another chapter of my book before a family meal out.

I know I’ll look forward to getting back to the online world tomorrow but I’m wondering about making every Sunday tech-free. What about you, do you ever have a digital detox?

Thank you so much to my fantastic Patrons including Finding My Eco and Nature and Nurture Baby Vitamins.

I’m currently trying to carve out some dedicated time for promoting eco-friendly living and particularly getting involved with schools and other community groups. If you feel you could spare a pound or so each month to support me in achieving this check out my Patreon page.

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October Skies

By Sarah Allen • October 23, 2026

We're deep into October now and there has been a shift. Where we were teetering on autumn we are now inside it. The mornings are dark. The natural light no longer waking me as I drag myself out of bed into the cool air of the bedroom, quickly putting on woollen socks and my trusty old dressing gown before padding downstairs to fill the kettle and assemble packed lunches with slumberous eyes. Then, with steaming tea, I sneak back into bed, the darkness all around where just a few weeks before I would stare out the window at the morning sky. This is now not possible as the light is yet to return. Return it does, of course, but much later. I can get as far as the beach now before the sky finally changes and we have a new day once again.

Autumn Beach Vibes

By Sarah Allen • October 2, 2026

Who loves the beach in autumn? Me!! As the days get cooler and the beach empties out, it becomes a very different place, compared to the long summer days of the previous season. I love the emptiness and, even, less light with the need to appreciate the fleeting moments. I've enjoyed picnics on the pebbles of Budleigh Salterton beach, carefully eating my lunch of leftover noodles so they didn't get snatched by a soaring seagull. As well as peaceful moments after busy shifts at Budleigh Unwrapped, a refill shop, just stones throw from the same beach where I've now got some regular work. Pop in to see me on a Wednesday if you're in the area. My local beach, Exmouth, has become the setting for early morning coffees (in my reusable cup) now that regular lifts to the train station have resumed with the start of term. Sitting, coffee in hand, listening to the crashing waves is the way to start a day feeling alive and in awe. I've walked on the sand, spotting oystercatchers feeding at the shore, cormorants on rocks, their wings outstretched drying on the morning breeze and one morning a seal hunting a few metres out. Fish jumped to get out of the way, alerting me to look and, with patience, I spotted a head briefly bob to the surface then later a tail and then seal eyes staring right at me. There's so much joy down on the shore coupled with misery of a pollution incident, followed some days later by a sewage discharge. As sad as it is, for me, I'm glad I'm not one of the many creatures who actually call the sea home. Its not happening just here in Exmouth, take a look at the Safer Seas and Rivers Service app and you'll see how widespread this problem is. The sea brings such joy and is home to so many of our animal kin, it deserves to be respected by humans and not, quite literally, be our dumping ground. If you've been impacted by pollution in the area please consider joining the legal claim against South West Waters, more information on the Leigh Day website . However, it's important to remember that, although these pollution incidents happen far too often, the majority of time the sea is safe to swim in (if you are brave enough to get into the cool waters). I'm a summer swimmer, fair weather and sunshine drawing me into the sea. So, I'm likely to be continuing my autumn beach vibes on the shore keeping cosy with a coffee and starting to layer on the clothing. With this in mind, I've designed an organic jumper with autumn vibes for beach walks, forest walks or just staying cosy as the nights draw in. My first ever jumper design. What do you think?

What can we Learn from the Autumn Equinox?

By Sarah Allen • September 23, 2026

What can we learn from the autumn equinox? Well, for me, it's all about a pause and some balance. As the Earth pauses in this moment of neither more or less light, I find it nourishing to take a moment too. Life will want to keep propelling you forward - or, I should say, the capitalist society. But there's a benefit in the pause, to stop the momentum, to stop the always doing and to reflect a little (or a lot). So, I took some moments today to sit in the early morning light, when the sun was not fully out but it wasn't dark, to do nothing other than sit (and drink coffee). Later on in the day, I dusted off my journal and took a moment to reflect on what I'd achieved, especially in relation to the intentions I set in motion in February, at Imbolc. Some I'd forgotten, others I'd chosen to let go, others I'd achieved. They weren't fully measurable, a life goal or something on a bucket list; just simple intentions like being creative and making decisions based on keeping my nervous system soothed. Writing this down, I found, to be positive. It's easy for me to think I've done nothing, life is still the same as it was but this isn't true. Once again, life has thrown big challenges my way. Things have not all been as I hoped but I'm not in the same place as I was. I wrote down what I am thankful for. Gratitude is often mentioned as a great well-being tool but I mention it with caution ⚠ as, for me, it has sometimes been a trigger to stress and anxiety around what high stakes things (and people) I could lose. Finally, I journaled around what I wanted to cut back. Then I literally went into the garden and cut back the dead wood thinking, to start with of what I wanted to metaphorically let go of, until it become a mindful task of just pruning and being with nature. It was not without it's difficulties, as I got caught in the brambles and also had to decide how much and how far to go. I left plenty of dead wood in the garden, the insects will need it to overwinter. There's only so much pruning you can, or maybe, should do. Some of the dead wood must remain to be composted later. I focused on what was most beneficial to cut back on, what would give the most room for new growth. Though, it now leaves bare patches, once spring comes round it provides room for growth. I also had to trim back some of the new growth that was damaging fences. We are led to believe that growth is the aim, at any cost, which of course is destabilising our planet both the climate and the delicate balance of the web of life . If the collective human species were to pause and focus on balance we could create a very different, regenerative way of being in the world. I invite you to try it and see how it changes things.

Could it be you?

By Sarah Allen • September 8, 2026

Can you help me get the message out about sustainable living?

Now I Know it's Spring

By Sarah Allen • April 28, 2026

The simple joys that are actually sheer magic

A Consciously Slow Start to the Year

By Sarah Allen • January 29, 2026

Snow, Wind, Rain, the Northern Lights, Some Comforting Food and Time To Create

Eco-Friendly Valentine's Day

By Sarah Allen • January 21, 2026

Showing someone you love them shouldn’t cost the Earth! If you want to give traditional cards and gifts, how about considering some of these more sustainable ideas? 1. Valentine’s Card Probably the easiest tip is to make sure the card you buy does not come packaged in plastic film. Shop around if you need to but think about the packaging as well as the sentiment when choosing your card. I have the perfect option to show love both to your special person and our precious planet with my new 'Love Me, Love Our Planet' card . Shipped in sustainable, eco-friendly paper packaging which is rip-proof and splash-proof and designed with the environment in mind. Alternatively, of course, you could make your own card. This is a great option for ensuring the card is more personal and especially good for the environment if you use materials you already have at home.