Thirty days without screens: the scale of the challenge quickly becomes clear on day one
I lived in silence for three days during a spartan retreat in central Nepal. The scale of the challenge quickly becomes clear by my complete failure on day one. At Lough Mardal the bedrooms are private off-grid yurts, with no electricity and a compost toilet. Wary of having my phone in my eye line, I keep it tucked away even after we leave Lough Mardal and head farther north. I read, I write, I go for walks without the extraordinary weight of the digital world in my pocket.
Source: The Irish Times January 24, 2026 15:01 UTC
