The Unplugged Hours: Cultivating a Life of Presence in a Digitally Connected World

by Hannah Brencher Narrated by Hannah Brencher

Overview

Read by the author.

No matter what you do for a living, how much time your apps save you, or how much entertainment your phone brings, it is possible to unplug--and find an even better life on the other side.

In the spring of 2021, Hannah Brencher found herself depleted and exhausted--and she knew the culprit was her constantly plugged-in lifestyle. Like so many of us, Hannah had been turning to her phone to cope with life in a time of isolation and uncertainty. Those coping mechanisms had calcified into habits she didn't know how to break. Sound familiar?

That's when the nudge happened. Turn off your phone and keep turning off your phone. And a challenge was born: 1,000 unplugged hours in one year. Soon after she shared her tracker sheet on her website, thousands of people downloaded it and signed up for their own 1,000-hour challenge.

Now in The Unplugged Hours, Hannah demonstrates how the act of powering down changed her entire life. It's a strikingly small thing to do and a surprisingly difficult habit to maintain, but turning off your phone has a substantial impact on your mental health, relationships, time management, and outlook on the world. A powerful weaving of memoir, cultural commentary, and spiritual insights, this life-changing book helps you:

• Reclaim your ability to be present and engaged with the world around you
• Swap the hurried, constant pace of technology for a steadier, more rooted way of living
• Establish your own unplugged rituals and rhythms in daily life
• Uncover the magic within the ordinary awaiting you just beyond the screen

The Unplugged Hours gives you the practical ideas and spiritual inspiration you need to stop scrolling and start living.

Editorial Reviews

Ashlee Gadd

If you're ready to take your eyes off your phone and put them back on your life, start here. One part pep talk, one part love letter, this book is Hannah Brencher at her finest. Sharing hard-won wisdom in her signature sister-friend voice, Hannah compels readers to swap a plugged-in life for one of presence. Featuring zero guilt and heaps of grace, The Unplugged Hours is the invitation I didn't even know I needed, and one I'll surely return to again and again.

Stephanie May Wilson

This book will change your life. Hannah Brencher has long been one of my favorite writers and thought leaders. She always seems to know what to say and how to say it in a way that rewires something deep within you that's felt stuck for years. That's exactly what she's done with this book. With wisdom and warmth, and with the courage that comes with going first, she walks us out of a life of hurried emptiness and into a life of deep connection—with God, our people, and ourselves. I can't wait to follow her lead and see what's waiting for me in the unplugged hours.

La Shonda Brown

If your soul is craving more of the peace and presence of God, you probably need to unplug, and Hannah's book is a beautifully crafted road map that will lovingly guide you through the process. When you release yourself from the obligation to constantly consume and give yourself permission to embrace a slower pace of living, you will begin to see God breathing new life into barren places. This book will challenge you to look up and around instead of down. Take the challenge and watch restoration come one unplugged hour at a time.

Tabitha Panariso

In The Unplugged Hours, Hannah Brencher writes us all one massive permission slip—she empowers us to put down our phones, our laptops, and our remotes for the sake of wholeness in order that we might come back to life. She does this not with superiority but with vulnerability, as one who has gone before. Hannah takes us by the hand, brings us alongside, and ardently reminds us that our lives are worth paying attention to and being present for.

Lara Casey Isaacson

The Unplugged Hours will challenge you to put your phone down and find your life! In a world filled with guilt-inducing advice about social media and dopamine dangers, Hannah offers a heartfelt guide to cultivating presence in a digital world. With wisdom, vulnerability, and grace, Hannah's refreshing writing changed my view on the gift of time. Through poignant personal insights and a transformative challenge of one thousand device-free hours, she inspired me to rediscover the beauty of real connections, embrace vulnerability, and find solace in the quiet moments of life. A must-read for those longing to break free from digital distractions and embrace the richness of authentic human connection.

Emily Ley

In a world that often leaves us feeling burned out and spread too thin, The Unplugged Hours is a refreshing reminder that the life we crave is within our grasp. Hannah comes alongside us with a gentle yet powerful invitation to put down the phone, embrace stillness in the pockets of the day, and get back to the wonder of the present moment. With honesty and grace, this book offers a much-needed guide to a simpler, steadier way of life.

author; business coach; entrepreneur Alli Worthington

Hannah Brencher's The Unplugged Hours is a transformative guide to reclaiming your life from digital overload. Each chapter is filled with wisdom and practical advice for cultivating a life of presence. In a culture of always on and constantly drained, everyone needs this book.

Danielle Coke Balfour

Many of us have been convinced that being glued to our devices will make us feel more connected, help us prove that we're the best activists, or cure our fear of missing out. In The Unplugged Hours, Hannah Brencher lovingly reminds us that what we may actually be missing out on is the full, vibrant life that's right in front of us—one where we can gather, create, learn, and find what we've been looking for all along.

Alexandra Hoover

The Unplugged Hours by Hannah Brencher is a timeless message. In her brilliant work, she invites us to step away from pervasive digital norms and rediscover the richness of life offline. Clear, compassionate, and practical, Brencher emphasizes the importance of rest, renewal, and finding our lives again—focusing on what truly matters and fostering a deeper, more meaningful existence away from the screen and in the true gift of life—on the other side of the screen.

Kait Tomlin

The Unplugged Hours is an invitation to rediscover the magic of mundane moments. If reaching for your phone is a habit at this point and disconnecting feels difficult, uncomfortable, or downright scary, this beautiful work by Hannah Brencher will help you wake up to the life right in front of you. As a new mom, I'm thankful for Hannah's thoughtful stories about learning to balance tech while building an intentional life—one unplugged hour at a time.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940160220307
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	09/17/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged