Dinnermode Launch

I'm really excited to share the launch of a new national food movement I've created called #DinnerMode.

I introduced #DinnerMode during a presentation I gave at #INBOUND14 last week on their BOLD stage. BOLD is HubSpot's TED and it was a huge honor to speak to a room of 500+ attendees during a 10,000 person conference.

Here are my slides: Put Down Your Phone and Start a Movement. Welcome to the Launch of #DinnerMode.

So what is #DinnerMode?

It's a national movement to be mindful of what you're eating and who you're eating with.

You might think of it as a tech-free dinner.

What is the impetus for this idea and the movement? There are a few main thoughts I have been kicking around for a long time.

1. Addiction - We are more addicted to our devices than ever. How is this affecting us? How is this affecting our relationships?
2. Being Present - We are not living in the moment when we're always rising to the next thing. How can we give our best to our personal relationships (and you ourselves) when we're always connected?
3. Creativity - If we are always on our phones, tablets and computers, how are we recharging our systems? How are we able to reboot our creativity so we can be better at our jobs?
4. Abundance - We have so much. We have so many food options but it's hard to appreciate them when we're in a rush. So maybe we're eating faster and what does that do to us? Maybe we're not paying attention to the food we eat, what could happen if we slowed down and ate with more intention.
5. Resources and Motivations - We shouldn't let technology use us. We should use technology in ways that help us create the change we wish to see in the world. That might mean prompts around how to think about it in different ways.

#DinnerMode is for everyone. It's for people who live alone, for anyone eating with friends and family, it's for being at home or being in a restaurant.

It's to start a conversation, be in the moment or simply think about our relationship with technology.

I'd love for you to join and take the #DinnerMode challenge. It looks simple but I know for a lot of people it's going to be harder than it looks. You ready?

Sometime in the next 7 days, I challenge you to do the following:

1. Set a timer. This can be for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour. Your choice.
2. Turn your phone down on the table. Or put it out of sight completely.
3. Eat your food. Enjoy who you're with. Let yourself feel refreshed and refueled.
4. Celebrate when the timer goes off. You did it!
5. Share your experience using the hashtag #DinnerMode or send me an email to sloane@dinnermode.org.

Visit DinnerMode.org to sign up and follow #DinnerMode on Facebook and Twitter to join the online conversation.

If you want to help spread the word, a post, tweet or email to friends would be amazing. Here are samples:

• Join me and take the @DinnerMode challenge to put the phone down at dinner. #DinnerMode
• Congrats @sloane on the launch of @DinnerMode. It's a simple way to reconnect with food and friends. I'm in! #DinnerMode

I have received an amazing amount of support since the movement launched last week. One of the biggest aha moments I've heard from people is that they think they're not the ones who are always checking their phone but by making a conscious choice not to look at it, they realized that they actually are the ones to turn it over at dinner to answer a text, look something up, post something quick to social media.

To me, all of that can wait. We can set aside this time to just be. It's ok. Everything and everyone will wait for us to be back up and running and online.

Emergencies come up, I know! A campaign is launching, the babysitter calls - these things happen. But for the majority of our time, we don't need to be reliant on technology.

Not everyone does yoga, not everyone mediates, not everyone is able to put their phone down for a whole week but the one thing we all do it EAT.

I wanted to apply those same principles of mindfulness to something we all do. Everyone eats.

I'm really excited to see where this goes, how it grows, and the response. I also am developing a #DinnerMode app for smartphones and online resources to help everyone be part of this movement.

I'd love to hear your feedback, ideas, and what you think. You can always send me an email to sloane@thecausemopolitan.com.