a forced break from the internet
Last week, I "did an oopsie" and ended up with no home internet for one evening. I came home from work, turned on the computer as usual - no internet. Tried connecting a few more times, restarted - still nothing. At first, my reaction was "oh no! this is bad!" But after I found out what the problem was, and had done everything that needed to be done to fix it, the rest of the evening was actually kind of nice.
I still spent the evening on my computer, but instead of doing what I usually do after a long day at work (mindlessly watching Youtube, for the most part) I ended up writing.
I wasn't completely cut off - I still had internet access through my phone. However, that access was limited. I didn't want to watch videos on a tiny screen, and I didn't want to waste my mobile data. So I chose to write instead ... and it turned out to be really fulfilling. I am always thinking about writing more, drawing more, reading more, or following some other interest. Most of the time I just end up not doing it, because another, more easily accessible, more comfortable option is always within reach. But without an internet connection, that easy distraction was removed.
I know this isn't some earth-shattering revelation. It's standard "digital detox" stuff. But what that evening showed me is that you don't have to cut yourself off completely - the hurdles just need to be high enough. And suddenly, other things that seemed like "kind of a hassle" before start looking a lot more attractive.