Hannah Brencher is a writer, speaker, and mental health advocate. She is an author of three books, including “The Unplugged Hours,” where she wrote about her challenge to unplug from devices for 1,000 hours in one year.

PEER: What is your book about, and what is the hope for this book?

HANNAH BRENCHER: On a surface level, my book is about unplugging and what it looks like to cultivate a regular rhythm of powering down in a digitally connected culture. But deeper than that, this book is about profound and radical presence. Presence in 2024 is a superpower all on its own. We are distracted. We are often exhausted. And presence is the antidote for a lot of these feelings.

My hope for this book is that people will read it and apply unplugging to their daily lives. From the moment the book was released, I prayed that people would read the stories and start exploring their own collection of unplugged hours.

P: Why did you choose to write on this topic? What inspired you to write about “unplugging”?

HB: When I first started unplugging, I was sure I didn’t want to write about the topic. As writers, we can quickly turn a lived experience into content. I wanted to do something else with this challenge. That’s not why I embarked on this challenge. I wanted to unplug for myself, for my family, for my daughter, and for my creativity.

After many years of being completely plugged in and going through Covid-19, I felt weary and exhausted internally, and I knew something needed to shift. I knew the problem was the constant connectivity, and I wanted to change it. I didn’t want to write about the unplugged hours, I wanted to embody and live them fully.

After I completed the challenge, the topic kept coming up, and the results of being unplugged kept making themselves known, so I knew I had to step back and see if there was a book here. I’m glad I didn’t do that from the beginning because it would’ve been a different experience.

P: Can you explain the premise of the 1,000 Unplugged Hours challenge?

HB: The premise of the 1000 Unplugged Hour Challenge is simple but challenging. In May 2021, I challenged myself to unplug for 1,000 hours in one year. I wanted to see if there was a way to strike a balance between being digitally connected and deeply present in daily life. I, like a lot of us, need digital tools to work. So, it wasn’t that I wanted to throw out all the devices and live a wholly disconnected lifestyle.

As someone who trains others to build self-discipline, I knew the power of starting small and having a goal you can measure. One thousand unplugged hours equals about 3 to 4 hours daily—or longer on a weekend. When I started the challenge, I thought completing it within one year was significant. While I achieved my goal, I no longer believe one year should be the metric or the benchmark. Each unplugged hour is its own mighty victory, and I think it’s more important to focus on the time you’re claiming back rather than finishing a challenge within a set timeframe.

P: How has this challenge helped not only your relationship with your phone, but with relationships with those around you? How has it impacted your faith?

HB: I feel more connected with those around me because of this challenge. It is easier in our world to maintain connections over the phone than in person. We can text 27 people at once and convince ourselves that we are connected. Still, there is something utterly different about being with people in person, showing up at the door, and conversing face-to-face. The pandemic stole a lot of that need from us, and as a result, we are more anxious, lonely, and depressed. There is a direct connection between those feelings and our lack of in-person connections. 

Through the unplugged hours, I came out from behind the screen and dared to cultivate my important relationships on a deeper, more meaningful level. It was uncomfortable and still can be, but the work is good, rich, and vital in this digital age.

The same goes for faith. Faith hinges on the ability to be still and be distracted. That is where I’ve always been able to meet with God. But when there is no distracted time, or the phone is always around, then faith can take a hit. As I learned to unplug and sit in the stillness, I watched my faith become more vibrant and alive than I ever anticipated. My quiet time became richer. I felt like I could hear God through his word more clearly. When I set out to complete this challenge, I wasn’t even thinking about how it might affect my faith, but I am standing on the other side of thousands of unplugged hours, and I can say without a doubt that it has been one of the best things that I ever did for my faith.

P: Do you suggest “deleting all social media apps forever” as a healthy way to unplug from screens? How can someone unplug while not going completely off the grid?

HB: No, I don’t suggest deleting all social media apps forever. For a select group of people, it may be the only solution for a deep, rooted addiction, but for me, I realized that social media apps were not the problem—it was my habits and desire to control everything. Technology makes it so that we believe that we are in control of knowledge, information, and the way our lives are moving. But that’s not the case.

When I started cultivating a habit of unplugging, I found that social media was just a distraction like many other things on the phone. I would find another way to distract myself if I didn’t have social media. The most important thing to clarify is why you are distracting yourself in the first place. Is it out of habit? Are you avoiding something? Do you not like sitting with yourself? These questions will lead to some pretty surprising answers if and when you are willing to sit with them.

P: For many young people, phones and screens are all we know. What advice do you have for young people who thinks unplugging for 1,000 hours sounds impossible?

HB: I understand why unplugging for 1,000 hours sounds impossible; it also seemed impossible for me at the time. But I learned that the bigger goal was a series of smaller goals. If you want to start to unplug:

• Don’t focus on the thousand-hour goal.
• Focus on the one hour in front of you.
• Think about something you’ve wanted to do for a long tie.

It could be trying out a new hobby, reading a novel, or going for a walk. I challenge you to turn off your phone or put it away and go and do that thing. Focus on the one hour before you, the activity you want to do, and the time you wish to claim back.

P: What is the benefit of checking in, instead of checking out and picking up our phones?

HB: As I started unplugging, I realized that during the time I thought I was checking in, I was checking out. Checking out had become the norm. I was mistaken to believe that checking in on all these other people on social media was doing anything for my mind, body, or soul. Now, I’ve learned how to check in. Checking in doesn’t have to be this deep, extensive, or robust practice. It can be little things throughout the day, like journaling, drinking a big glass of water, walking around the block, and sitting out in the sunlight for a few minutes. Checking in is the effort of not grabbing your phone first but stopping momentarily to do an internal pulse check and figure out how to move forward.

P: How would you encourage readers to address the discomfort that comes with unplugging and sit in the discomfort of not having their device?

HB: A mentor once said, “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.” That sentiment has always stuck with me. There’s so much truth in it, no matter where you apply it. We are humans. We don’t like to be uncomfortable. We don’t want to be outside of our comfort zone. We like it when things are easy and instant and very much aligned with the drive-through culture that we’re living in. But all greatness requires a certain level of discomfort. That’s just a plain and brutal truth.

When the discomfort comes from unplugging, I would challenge you to sit in it—to sit in the stillness and realize that the stillness will not break you, but it may just lead to unnecessary breakthroughs. The best breakthroughs in life come through discomfort and pushing forward in the face of adversity. We need to stop thinking that discomfort means we’re doing something wrong; in actuality, discomfort can often mean we’re doing something right, and we need to persist in seeing the breakthrough on the other side.

P: What are some rituals and rhythms for young adults as they unplug and rely less on their device?

HB: For young adults, I challenge them to think about the areas of their lives where they want to be deeply present. Maybe it’s at the dinner table with friends. It could be during morning quiet time. It could be on dates or during studying times. Ask yourself, “Where do I want to be fully present?” Start there. You don’t even have to start with an hour unplugged. Start with 15 minutes or 30 minutes. The small stuff always adds up.

It comes down to leveling up your self-care game. It’s like becoming your own coach. Start by asking yourself: Where do you feel scattered or burned out? What parts of your life could use more of your attention? Once you figure that out, you can create some ground rules and routines that help you show up for what matters.

The biggest thing to remember is that you don’t need to overhaul your entire existence. You don’t have to throw the phone away. You can start where you are with minor tweaks and habits because that is often the only stuff that sticks. When something is not working, dare to step back and address it. Come up with solutions and try a few out. Unplugging is not about perfection. It’s about getting closer to a goal of presence, which will inevitably have starts and stops along the way. Keep going.

P: What is the best piece of advice for any young adult who hopes to embark on a 1,000 Unplugged Hours challenge for the next year?

HB: The most important advice is to be kind and graceful with yourself. You did not create this phone addiction. This never-ending connectivity is not your fault. But if you are at a place where you are exhausted by the constant connectivity, you have the power to change that.

Start painfully small. One hour at a time. The small steps will add up to something extraordinary. You can reclaim your life, time, passion, and dreams one unplugged hour at a time. You can learn to stop giving your attention, the most valuable currency you have, to things that don’t deserve it, and you can learn to be fully rooted and present right where you are. Your life will flourish as a result.

To stay connected with Hannah, visit her website. Read more about her book “The Unplugged Hours” here.