Tech overuse: Is it time to unplug?

To hear Tiffany Shlain talk about her “tech shabbat,” it sounds less like a fast and more like a banquet.

“It’s so much more about what I get back,” says the filmmaker about her sunset-to-sunset breaks from screens on Fridays and Saturdays. “I feel like my whole day is extra long and wonderful.”

Prodding people to unplug for 24-hours each week may look like an odd stance for Ms. Shlain, who founded the Webbys, one of the most prestigious awards for internet content. 

But she’s not alone. Tech-free retreats have become common among Silicon Valley’s elite. Even the