Imran Rashid - Offline: Unplugging Your Brain in a Digital World

OFFLINE presents an insightful and convincing argument for the need for humans and societies to protect the most valuable resource of our time: attention.

Jens Hjorth-Larsen, Consultant, 29 years, no kids.

Crazy that it's only when you change your bad habits and lifestyle that you realize how little you lived life before.

Mette Stryhn, CEO and Mother of three.

An amazing, easily understandable book, providing both a significant eyeopener for your own behavior and a tangible help for a healthier digital life.

Kim Sylvestersen, Section Manager, Father of one.

What an eyeopener! Taught me how to get a healthier relationship with my smartphone.

Anders Rpke, Wind Power Lab CEO and Father of two.

If your children use smartphones, you need to read this book!

Teresa Egballe, Municipal Manager and Mother of three

Required reading for any parent with smartphone-kids.

Sren H. Mohr, CEO, Father of two.

Is your phone in control of your life? Read this book and find out!

Niklas Laugesen, CEO at Napp.

Made a huge impact on me and I'm grateful that I got the message.

Lotte Thor Hgsbjerg, Founder SPIB media, Mother of two.

Wow! I had no idea about how powerful these brain-hacks are. Must read!

Tone Folkedal, GP, Mother of two.

What a well written wake-up-call! Now I understand why it has been so hard to get away from my smartphone. Thanks!

Sarah Thorngreen Auken, Mother of two and parish priest.

Shows you how to get the most out of being online without being sucked into wasting your time. Great for families with kids.

Maria von Wrden, Registered nurse, Mother of two.

My two kids change their behavior if they spend too much time online. Now I understand why and have set easy to follow rules for how and when they are online

Charlotte Just Nielsen, Selfemployed and Mother of two.

Wow. What a wake up call. Today I recommended this book to my patients and have become much more aware of how my own family uses smartphones and ipads.

Michael Hejmadi, MD, GP and Father of two.

Canned social recognition. What a sharp insight. This book is a must-read! Our public sector and kids need to be made more aware!

Mette Ernlund, PhD and Mother of two.

Loved the book and the theories almost felt guilty reading as an ebook on my smartphone.

Jens Balle, Sales Rep. and Father of three.

Learn how to get the online world to work for you without being tricked and trapped into its addictive design. Recommended reading.

Amira Saric, CSR-specialist and Mother of three.

Thought provoking. Made me put my phone away and start prioritizing what's important for me and my family.

Kasper Mortensen, Prepress Technician and Father of three.

Imran Rashid

Soren Kenner

This edition first published 2019

2019 Imran Rashid and Gerald Soren Kenner

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-0-857-08793-5 (paperback)
ISBN 978-0-857-08794-2 (ePDF)
ISBN 978-0-857-08792-8 (ePub)

Cover Design: Wiley
Brain Image: Denis Maliugin/Shutterstock,
Cord Image: CW craftsman/Shutterstock

Imran: Thanks to my two kids Sarah and Isak for letting me witness the miracle of two incredible, fantastic human beings growing up. Every single day with you guys is a gift. And also a big thank you to my wife Naomi. Without you, I wouldn't be me.

Soren: Thank you to my wonderful Helen, Sarah, and Thomas for patience and encouragement, for putting up with my being distracted and for the many good discussions around the dinner table (even if I do have to Messenger you all to get anyone to show up).

This book could not have been written without input from experts in many different fields. In particular we would like to thank Professor of Neurobiology Albert Gjedde (Center of Neuroscience at Copenhagen University); Jacob Geday, MD (neurologist and neuroscience researcher); Anette Prehn, MD (sociologist and science communicator), and Kristian Moltke Martiny, PhD (post-doc at the Center for Subjectivity Research, Copenhagen University) for taking time to review and critique our work. Thank you to Martin Booe for outstanding editorial consultancy, to Sarah Kenner for editing input and pointing out Ben Okri, and to Karen Weller for quick and pinpoint accurate copy-editing. You have made this a better book than it otherwise would have been. It goes without saying that any remaining errors and flaws are ours.

If this book caught your attention, then you're already concerned about the effect digital devices are having on your life. You've read about younger people who have thousands of friends on Facebook but no real-life social skills. You've got a good sense that distraction is not good and that you can waste a lot of time reacting to notifications, unnecessary texts, and selfies your cousin blasts you from Ibiza. You can now order your coffee with an app, thus saving you at least 45 seconds of interaction with a human intermediary. But what have we really gained?