The term “Off-The-Grid” is short for being not connected to the electricity and water grid. You are either not using any electricity or water coming from public utilities. Or you are able to supply your own electricity and water supply. You can be self-sufficient by your own means, or you are relying on mother nature.
This does not mean you are homeless and can’t pay your bills. It means you are still enjoying life. But do not need the comforts of technology that requires public utilities. This could mean you are in a home in some isolated forest, or anywhere away from the city. Most of us have been used to living life in the city. The mere fact you are reading this article means you are connected to the internet. Either through a Wi-Fi connection or cellular data. Perhaps you are reading this in a room with other amenities all of us get to enjoy.
The Comforts of City Life
Life in the city is very comfortable. Today, it always feels good to relax in an air-conditioned room. Then kick back on your lazy boy couch, and press the remote control for your smart TV. Watching your favorite program is better with a box of hot pizza. So you go to your favorite food delivery app to order. Then wait a few minutes to have it delivered right to your doorstep.
Even physical workouts can be taken care of. In the other room, just plug that treadmill and you get to run, walk or even climb. You get to enjoy some cardio while listening to your favorite music on your Bluetooth speaker.
After a workout, you stay a few minutes in your home spa. Or turn on the Jacuzzi for a well-deserved relaxation. After dinner, a perfect nightcap would be to press a few buttons. This automatically turns on the ambiance light and the fireplace at the same time. Do this while sipping on some hot chamomile tea or doze off on a glass of red wine.
The comforts of technology in the city is hard to resist. It is now a fact that no one can leave their house anymore without their mobile phones. We get mad at slow internet speed. And we want to get anything we want at the press of our fingertips.
A Concrete Jungle
But, the city is also called a “concrete jungle” for a reason. Hours of traffic causes stress. There are speculations that the processed food we eat causes cancer. And we get upset when we have to take the stairs instead of the elevator, even when we are going down.
Life in the city gets stressful too. Even with technology at the palm of our hands. In fact, technology could now be the one in charge of our lives. And a good week or only a weekend away from utilities and technology will help us break free. What better way to be set free than going away and trying to live off the grid.
Benefits of Off-the-Grid Living:
#1. Explore the Outdoors
Imagine yourself living in a large 2000 square foot off-the-grid house. You use solar panels or wind turbines to produce energy. While your water comes to a homemade PVC, pumping water from a river. Then your house is situated within 4 acres of lush trees and grass. This makes the outdoors equally comfortable as the indoors.
Together with your pets, this is the best place to experience trekking, touch animals, and have more time for your puppy’s training sessions You can also learn to fish, breathe fresher air, and grow your own plants and vegetables. You can easily forget about the “concrete jungle” with the natural scenery that surrounds you.
#2. Provide Your Own Food Source
With no food delivery app, not enough power for a microwave oven, and restaurants being miles away, you have to learn to produce your own food. You may need to bake your bread in a sun oven. And you do it using basic ingredients and natural baking. Since you plant your own plants and vegetables, it will be fun to also pick and eat your own fruits and vegetables. This one may sound gory, but you may also need to kill and eat animals for your meat. Or the gory thought may change your life and eating habits.
#3. Enhance Physical Activities
Being remote and being quiet gives you more time to relax, calm down and rejuvenate. This will increase your emotional well-being and mental health. And because of fresh air and beautiful scenery, your physical body also recovers from the stress of city living. This gives you more energy to walk and run around. Try to swim in the river. Chop wood, build fences. Even do extreme activities. Like mountain climbing, rock climbing, rappelling, and many other things the city cannot offer.
Living off-the-grid can and will change your life. You can choose to stay or do it now and then. But the good thing is you have the power to choose. And if you live in the city and you feel stressed out. Just remember that life off-the-grid can make your life better.
