Turn Off Your Phone for Thanksgiving

I’m won over to a day with people, not screens.

Tiffany Shlain talks 24/6 and the Power of Unplugging One Day A Week

"Here are the pioneers of the new movement." - Maria Shriver, The Today Show
 

24 Hours Without My Phone: I Recommend a Tech Shabbat

“We can barely catch our breath in the tsunami of personal and work digital input, which results in us not being truly present for any of it.”

Author calls for a once-a-week 'technology shabbat'

Author Tiffany Shlain advocates for what she calls a 'technology shabbat' each week, and she joins Morning Joe to discuss the idea, which she writes about in her book '24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week.'

In Praise of Being Unproductive
 

Are you productive? Efficient? Useful? These are the kinds of questions that arise (naturally and terrifyingly) when technology makes it easy to stay online and connected 24/7.
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Forbes: 8 Reasons Why You Should Unplug One Day A Week

Contrary to what you might believe, stepping away from your phone and computer in order to practice a “Technology Shabbat” can actually help you become more productive at work.

EdSurge: Can Putting Devices Away Build Character?

We’re spending so much of our time expressing ourselves through our screens, and we thought that would be a really powerful question to look at: How do screens amplify our character strengths and when do they diminish them?

Tiffany Shlain’s Vision for Building Community

"The easiest way to describe her is to say she’s a documentary filmmaker, but her prolific output feels less like a set of discrete productions and more like a single evolving project, ruminating on an interconnected set of themes, which boil down to technology (“What do you amplify and what do you amputate?” she asks; by the way, she founded the Webby Awards); and creative process at it is revealed through neuroscience."

Taking a Shabbat from Tech

“It was amazing. When we started doing, it just was such a grounding day, it felt like it really reset the whole week, and we felt very connected.”

Tiffany Shlain wants to bring Shabbat to 21st century by resting from tech

“We’ve been doing it for a decade now,” Tiffany Shlain said. “The more crazy society has become with their addiction to the screen....the more profound it became as a life practice.”

Tiffany Shlain: Why I think everyone should experience a ‘Tech Shabbat’

That first screen-free day felt so good that my family and I decided to keep doing it every week, and nearly a decade later, we still are.
 
 

Can’t break free from your devices? ‘24/6’ offers guide for healthier living

“Tech is good, it’s just not good 24/7....We are distracted to the point where we can’t focus. Also, our data is being stolen. People need to understand how you give your data away for free.”

Marin Independent Journal: Put down your phone and be here now

It’s more than just recalibrating and finding gravity’s center. Our phone obsession is affecting our mental health and relationships. It’s greatly reducing the eye contact we have with others.

Character Day 2019 Launches A Global Technology Shabbat Movement

Character Day this year tackles one of the most universal, urgent questions: how do we create a healthier relationship between humanity and technology?

Character Day 2019 Launches A Global Technology Shabbat Movement

In this spirit of habitually turning off screens regularly to “turn on the best parts of you,” Character Day 2019 will be a catalyst for people to introduce their own Technology Shabbats.

Character Day 2019 Launches A Global Technology Shabbat Movement

Shlain examines the science of rest, gratitude, creativity, curiosity, and empathy, and how adopting the ancient practice of Shabbat for her hyper-connected family has been life-changing.

Boston Globe Op-ed: The case for a tech Shabbat in a too-connected world

There are many people who need to work seven days a week. But many others choose to. The digital revolution blurred the lines between time on and off, and time off is disappearing.

Jewish Academy of Orlando will 'unplug' with millions on Character Day 2019

Character Day will encourage millions to spend the day thinking deeply about the relationship between character development, screen use, and the wisdom of Shabbat.

Can Shabbat Become a Tool to Improve Human-Technology Relationship?

Can Shabbat become a universal tool to help foster a better relationship between humans and technology? According to the creators of Character Day, the answer is yes.

Character Day 2019 Launches a Global Technology Shabbat Movement

This year's Character Day will tackle one of the most universal, urgent questions: how do we create a healthier relationship between humanity and technology?

5 Ways To Rethink Your Relationship To Social Media And Reclaim Your Time

Tiffany Shlain, forthcoming author of the book 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day A Week, is an advocate for taking time away from digital devices and technology.

Addiction to the internet has put humans in a ‘Frankenstein moment.’

“We have to really do some serious thinking and discussing and get more reflection back into our society. It’s almost like we’ve created this primal urge network.”

The science of Sabbath: How people are rediscovering rest—and claiming its benefits

Tech Shabbat is a modern twist on an ancient religious practice, attracting the attention of burned-out millennials exhausted trying to keep up in an increasingly connected world.

The benefits of unplugging on Shabbat last all week

As a filmmaker, I find my career is rooted in experimenting with how technology can bring us together. But these days, I’m also spending a lot of time looking at how it’s keeping us apart.

11 Famous Women On The Importance Of Gender Parity

April 26 marks the second annual 50/50 Day, a global day centered around the goal of achieving a gender-balanced world across all races, ages, issues, and industries.

50/50 Day: Gender Equality Events Take Place in San Francisco

"We're at this really big moment where there's a lot of conversation about gender and power and a lot of people wanting things to change." — Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tiffany Shlain

Recalling 1992’s ‘Year of the Woman,’ Lynn Yeakel assesses gender equality in 2018

WHYY’s Morning Edition Host Jennifer Lynn spoke with her this week in anticipation of Thursday’s 50/50 Day, a global day of action and conversations around gender equality in leadership.

How Tech Can Be Used to Turn Your Movie into a Global Movement

What if your movie became an entire movement? What if it was not only seen around the world, but used as inspiration and a jumping off point for fascinating discussions and activities by millions of people?

This online tool aims to get pledges toward gender parity

Tiffany Shlain asks what the world would be like if it were gender-balanced. "Imagine how those changes would shift our culture as a whole and change your life, or someone you love."

Tiffany Shlain Talks Character Day, Mompreneurship And A Life in Tech

Tiffany Shlain, Emmy nominated filmmaker, speaker and Webby Awards founder, joined me for my inaugural podcast to talk about her amazing career, Tech Shabbats and life as a working mom.

The Work Of Emmy-Award Nominated Filmmaker Tiffany Shlain

To make oneself heard, one must be tactical, entering into the noise sideways, capturing attention by virtue of being different. Sadly in this century, being different may be as strategically simple as being optimistic.

Webby Awards Founder Tiffany Shlain Tackles Gender Inequality

It's no secret there is gender inequality in the workplace, and Webby Awards founder Tiffany Shlain is on a mission to show how and why gender equality “is better for the world." she says.

Seattle Jewish Film Festival offers a ‘kaleidoscopic look’ at filmmaking

Tiffany Shlain will present six short films about the intersection of Jewish identity and technology, including a “spoken cinema” version of “30,000 Days,” an exploration of how to live a life with purpose.

Join Millions Around the Globe for the 4th Annual Character Day on Sept. 13th!

There is a larger trend building within schools, corporations, congregations, and families. It is time to bring character back, and return focus to the values we want to contribute to the world.

Tiffany Shlain: Webbys, Big Ideas and the Essence of Character | Adobe Creative Cloud

Jason takes us through Tiffany’s hilarious beginnings as a CD-Rom maker to today, where she is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and leader of Character Day, coming up on September 13th.

In honor of “Character Day,” a Buddhist guide to character strengths

The idea of the day is to get us all talking about “the importance of character building in today’s increasingly distracted and overly-connected world.” What is the Buddhist view of a positive character?

Join Millions Around the Globe for the 4th Annual Character Day on Sept. 13th!

Today is the first annual 50/50 Day—a global event fighting for a more gender-balanced world. Get in on the action, share your perspective and learn from a slew of inspiring women before the day’s end.

Emmy-Nominated Director Tiffany Shlain Hints Us What To Do For The 50/50 World

50/50 is available for everyone to host the screening in their communities, schools, organizations, institutes, groups and everywhere else. It’s a global conversation discussing the ideas to bring people together.

Discover the Power of Character on September 14th

What is “character”? It’s the qualities you value, the qualities that make you you, like leadership, curiosity, creativity, enthusiasm, self-control, honesty, appreciation of beauty, and so much more.

Character Growth Index

Introducing the Character Growth Index: The First Character Development Assessment

Exploring the Science of Character, Meaning and Purpose on the Fourth Annual Character Day

Spearheaded by Webby Awards Founder Tiffany Shlain, Prominent Global Leaders Discuss the Importance of Developing Character Strengths (Empathy, Humility, Persistence).

How We Celebrated 50/50 Day — & How You Can Still Get Involved

50/50 Day spurred a conversation about women's rights that crossed continents and cultural barriers, fueled by film screenings, discussion groups, and a panel that joined participants in their advocacy for equality.

Podcast guest: Filmmaker and Webby awards founder Tiffany Shlain

Shlain recently released the short-film “50/50: Women at the Table” and chats with Jeff about prevalent gender equalities issues to keep the conversation going about creating a gender equal society.

Jewish Filmmaker Tiffany Shlain Promotes Parity With 50/50 Project

Tiffany Shlain, the fabulous Jewish filmmaker behind “The Tribe” and “The Making Of a Mensch”, has a new project: 50/50. As in, gender equality, and, as per the website, “not just politics and board rooms.”

What do I do about water-cooler anti-Semitism at work?

In a shared experience, participants will explore, through short films and exercises, the development of character and its higher attributes such as empathy, humility and bravery. In other words, menschhood!

FIRST ON ABC: GENDER EQUALITY HITS TIMES SQUARE

“We hope that everyone who walks by the billboard (and beyond) will be encouraged to use their voices and join the conversation about how a more gender-balanced world truly is a better world for all.”

Tomorrow Is 50/50 Day, a Call for Gender Equality

It’s way past time to make gender parity the norm, not mere aspiration. That’s why filmmaker Tiffany Shlain organized 50/50 Day, an international push to change the conversation about gender equality.

Tiffany Shlain and 50/50 Day Push for Worldwide Gender Equity

The number of current female heads of state has more than doubled since 2000, but it's still markedly low: women lead less than 10 percent of the 193 UN member nations.

Sign Up for 50/50 Day on May 10th for Gender Equality

The 20-minute documentary from Tiffany Shlain, absolutely slays me. She takes complex topics and ideals and boil them down into digestible and entertaining entities that can be easily grasped and embraced.

You Can Celebrate 50/50 Day On May 10 With This Incredible Film

May 10 will mark 50/50 Day, a day dedicated to a "global conversation about what it will take to get to a more gender-balanced world in all sectors of society: business, politics, culture, home, and more."

Gender Equality Going Coast-to-Coast on 50/50 Day | Huffpost

Do you believe that gender equality in the workplace is possible? How about at home or in politics? We’ve moved forward in so many ways, yet at the same time we’ve also taken huge steps backwards.

Technology Shabbats | The Agenda with Steve Paikin on TVO

Every week Tiffany Shlain's family ditches the demands of their phones and iPads and takes a "technology Shabbat." Shlain joins The Agenda to talk about technology addiction and the virtues of unplugging.

Great Divide over Inauguration. Californians streaming to Washington to rally

Shlain is one of thousands of California progressives who are going to Washington this week. While she still plans on screening her film, Shlain is one of many going to protest as part of a growing resistance.

This Director Has The Plan To Keep International Women's Day's Energy Alive

The creative vision behind "50/50," which examines the often-neglected history of women trailblazers, Shlain hopes to transform the energy of yesterday's marches into a dialogue about the work we still have left to do.

A Talk With Tiffany Shlain, Filmmaker and founder of Character Day

“We’re living in a day where everyone is looking for a roadmap on how to be a better person while navigating their messy emotions," said Shlain. "I got excited that there is a Jewish version of developing who you are.”

The What's Friend of the Week – Filmmaker Tiffany Shlain

“My new film 50/50 explores the 10,000 year history of women + power and asks, what’s it going to take to get to a #5050 world — truly shifting the gender balance to be better for everyone.”

Why we must rethink the past, present and future of women and power to get to 50/50

Filmmaker and public speaker Tiffany Shlain: "I think it’s a much more empowering way to look at history, rather than thinking that we never had something that we’re trying to get now, which is equality…"

This Shatterbox Film Captures Why We Can't Wait For 50/50 Day

In the new "Shatterbox Anthology" film "50/50," Tiffany Shlain tells the true history of powerful women. Shatterbox is an award-winning short-film series dedicated to spotlighting the voices of female filmmakers.

Hashtag #CharacterDay2016, and Why You Should Use It on September 22nd

Character is our biggest asset. Character is what defines us daily, what drives our actions and what motivates how we conduct our lives. Character is the foundation of humanity.

Tiffany Shlain, Getting to "50/50" | Listen to NPR's Inflection Point

Tiffany Shlain's new film "50/50" shares the story of what the world used to look like and can look like with true equality, part of Refinery 29's Shatterbox Anthology film series which explores the dynamics of women and power.

Live Happy Podcast | Celebrating Character Day with Tiffany Shlain

We talk with filmmaker Tiffany Shlain about the power of film and Character Day: a free global initiative where groups around the world screen films on the science of character development and dive into discussion materials.

Tiffany Shlain: Building mensches one Character Day at a time

Like a growing number of schools across the country, Yavneh has elevated character development to a central part of its mission. Character is a core skill to develop in students, alongside reading, science and math.

Reflections on Character Day: Can a Woman Be a Mensch?

What does the word “mensch” really mean? Of course, everyone knows its connotations of decency, kindness and humility; these are not gendered qualities. Yet the word is often applied more to men than to women.

Character Day sparks a global conversation about how to be a mensch

In just a month’s time, hundreds of thousands of people around the world will mark the third annual Character Day, a global initiative exploring the science of character development from various perspectives.

Interview with Tiffany Schlain: Build Your Character (at Least for a Day)

The HBR IdeaCast sits down for a conversation with Tiffany Shlain, Emmy-award winning filmmaker and founder of Character Day, on why we need more time to develop our inner selves.

Politico Education Roundup | LET’S TALK ABOUT CHARACTER

Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Webby Awards Founder Tiffany Shlain is gearing up for back to school. She’s working furiously to engage thousands of students and schools in Character Day on September 22.

Character Day 2016 Expected to Impact Millions in Global Conversation

The nonprofit Let it Ripple, which uses film and technology to engage people in unconventional conversations, established the global day after its founder released “The Making of a Mensch” to high praise.

The Jewish News of Northern AZ | Character Day 2016

Let it Ripple will broaden the reach of Character Day, which uses film and discussion materials to create a global conversation about the importance of character-building in today’s 24/7 world.

The Making of a Mensch | Film explores attributes of a mensch

What’s your definition of a mensch? Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tiffany Shlain is requesting that people record their answer on their phone and submit their video on letitripple.org/mensch_submit.

Character Day featured in Amazing Kids! Magazine

“What do you have to offer? Who’s ready?” Character Day is a global day to unify and galvanize a conversation on the meaning of character,” says Emmy nominated filmmaker, Tiffany Shlain, or simply my mom.

Why Civics Is About More Than Citizenship | Character Day in the Atlantic

Some advocates—such as the Webby Awards creator Tiffany Shlain who last year founded “Character Day”—emphasize that “citizenship” is simply one component of a much broader goal: character development.

Character Day 2016 Poised to Reach Millions in Global Conversation

Let it Ripple this year will create a global conversation about the importance of character-building in today’s 24/7 world – developing strengths like creativity, humility, grit, courage, compassion and empathy.

Tiffany Shlain's new film looks at being a mensch

Filmmaker Tiffany Shlain wants people to ponder what it takes to be a mensch. So her new film, “The Making of a Mensch,” will be a part of the second annual Character Day, aiming to get people talking about how to be the best versions of themselves.

Top 10 Amazing (Recent) Findings on Character Strengths

Since the science of character strengths has exploded in the last decade and a half, we have gained plenty of new knowledge about these core positive qualities in human beings. The science of character is spreading widely around the world.

The New Influencers N⁷: Tiffany Schlain for Moxie Institute Film Studio

Tiffany has learned the deepest appreciation for her loved ones and the value of “turning off” to spark creativity and enlightenment. We talk about her curiosity and inspiration, and offer you the opportunity to join in this deeply, profound movement.