For years, we were told the future was digital. The more connected, the better. Work, relationships, even self-worth—optimized, automated, and always online.

And then, quietly at first, a different kind of movement begins. Slowly, stories begin to emerge: 

A Silicon Valley CEO trades boardrooms for an off-grid farm. 

A Gen Z influencer walks away from social media and resurfaces six months later—unbothered, unreadable. 

A high-powered executive books a retreat, not for networking, but for silence.

Call it rewilding life—the subtle and subversive act of escaping screens and reclaiming space.

It seems important to clarify this isn’t a rejection of technology but an urgent recalibration.

The great undoing

It seems important to clarify this isn’t a rejection of technology but an urgent recalibration. Studies show we now spend upwards of seven hours a day glued to screens. Our brains are rewired for microdoses of dopamine, our attention spans are shrinking, and the side effects are everywhere. Fractured focus. Chronic exhaustion. That creeping sense that life is something we consume rather than actually live.

The consequences go beyond personal well-being. Excessive screen time is reshaping how we interact, reducing in-person conversations and fueling anxiety. Entire industries are built on keeping us plugged in, from social media to streaming platforms, each competing for our last remaining scraps of attention.

But for a growing number of people, the algorithm is losing its grip.

The rise of digital dissenters

From dopamine detoxes to digital minimalism, the movement to step back is gaining momentum. Some are opting for screen-free weekends; others are making more radical shifts. They’re quitting social media, rediscovering analogue hobbies, and in some cases, swapping city life for the wilderness. In a world that thrives on distraction, choosing presence feels almost rebellious.

But make no mistake—this isn’t just a wellness trend. It’s a power move.

The ultimate luxury isn’t more technology; it’s the ability to protect our energy and attention, to be fully present. Whether it’s reading a book without checking your phone, taking a walk without tracking steps, or simply staring at the sky without the urge to document it, these are the new markers of freedom.

Leaders arrive at coaching sessions overstimulated and unfulfilled—not just from being busy, but from the constant demand to be accessible.

Reclaiming energy, reclaiming you

As a leadership and transition coach, I see this shift firsthand. Leaders arrive at coaching sessions overstimulated and unfulfilled—not just from being busy, but from the constant demand to be accessible. They struggle to protect the energy needed for strategic thinking and value work because their days are consumed by back-to-back meetings, endless notifications, and the unspoken pressure to always be available to colleagues and clients.

They tell themselves they don’t have time, but what they really don’t have is capacity. The truth is, high performance isn’t about doing more, it’s about managing energy with intention. The best leaders aren’t the ones who grind the hardest; they’re the ones who focus their energy where it matters most and protect it fiercely.

Unplugging as a flex

To reclaim your energy, your attention, and your presence is a flex. It’s a declaration that you won’t be reduced to an engagement metric or trapped in a never-ending scroll.

Maybe the freedom, rest or satisfaction we’re looking for isn’t in a faster Wi-Fi connection, the latest efficiency hacks or the perfect caption or filter. Maybe it’s in reclaiming the time, space and energy we’ve forgotten to inhabit.

So, the question isn’t can you unplug, but will you?