‘I love rawdogging, especially on planes but also sometimes on trains,’ Anna Roberts tells Metro.co.uk.
Before the slang-literate among you clutch your pearls too hard, 40-year-old Anna, who lives in Anglesey and is the CEO of Explorage, isn’t talking about what you think she is.
According to Urban Dictionary, rawdogging is the act of having sex without a condom, but more recently the term has been used to describe doing all sorts of things without any kind of protection or preparation.
When it comes to travel specifically, it refers to going without entertainment on a plane or train journey – that means no scrolling or screens, and not even a book or magazine to pass the time.
The ability to rawdog a long trip has become something of a badge of honour on TikTok, with many posting their ‘personal bests’.
After making it through a seven-hour flight without headphones or movies, DJ and producer @oiwudini, posted a video captioned: ‘Incredible. The power of my mind knows no bounds.’
Another user who did the same, @kareemrahma, wrote: ‘I am an enlightened spiritual being. Seven hours of pondering will change a man.’
The trend is largely based on jokey oneupmanship, but there are plenty of proponents of this pared-back form of travel.
‘We’re all so stuck in the doing, and being always on and connected,’ Anna continues. ‘Having a few hours to let your mind wander, observe the little things, and explore ideas that you can’t immediately do anything about is liberating.’
Louisa Dunbar, 42, is also a proponent of the technique. The Reading-based founder of web agency OrangeGrove uses travel time ‘as a chance to slow down and reflect’, most recently spending a 2.5-hour coach ride with just her own thoughts for entertainment.
‘I generally start out by just taking in my surroundings; watching the people, observing what they’re wearing, what they’re doing,’ she tells Metro.co.uk. ‘It gives me a momentary glimpse into the lives of complete strangers who I’ll never ever see again, which in itself can be quite grounding.’
These distraction-free hours have sparked in some of Louisa’s best brainwaves, but it’s not all about productivity.
She explains: ‘Even when I run, I don’t listen to music. I like to feel in touch with whatever I’m doing at that specific time.
‘I often think, when people are immersed in their tech or books etc, that they’re missing out on life going on around them.’
This echoes the thoughts of Jess Shaw, 48, PACT Creative Training founder from London.
‘I see a journey on a coach/plane/train as a kind of “time out of time”,’ she tells Metro.co.uk. ‘It creates a space to reflect, ponder and even work things out in a way that doesn’t happen in our day-to-day environments (or when looking
at a phone!).’
Jess’s rawdogging personal best is impressive: 36 hours’ straight on a coach between Bolivia and Brazil.
‘My ankles suffered and I was pretty tired, but I know I felt the benefit of that time for contemplation without a to-do list,’ she adds.
It’s safe to say many would find it hard to switch off for that long; some may even think it sounds completely unbearable. There’s method in what could be considered madness by rawdoggers’, though.
Dr Claire Plumbly, psychologist and author of Burnout: How to manage your nervous system before it manages you, says it’s scientifically proven that we need to lay off the content every so often.
‘Researchers carrying out neurological studies a few years ago were scanning brains and asked their participants to “think of nothing” to get a baseline of brain activity before the tasks started,’ she explains.
‘In doing so they discovered that lots of brain regions light up in those moments! This became known as the Default Mode Network (DMN) and it’s thought to be important for giving space for creative thought, processing memories and linking to autobiographical memory – which contributes to our sense of identity.’
How to effectively clear your mind while travelling
‘A simple way is to try to stay in the here and now, without too
much self-criticism,’ advises Jess.
‘To start, pop your feet flat on the floor and just notice; notice your breathing, notice what is happening around you, notice any niggling thoughts without adding a judgement.
‘Some people find that counting their breath in and out helps too.’
Like dopamine fasting or the often-recommended digital detox, rawdog travel is a response to the ‘always on’ culture technology has foisted upon us. Making your own fun is becoming a lost art thanks to the endless amount of content available – and time away from screens is similar to sleep in terms of keeping your mind (and body) sharp.
‘The impacts of stress on the body and mind are extensive, with it having the potential to impact nearly all bodily systems, including the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, cardiovascular function, gastrointestinal health, and more,’ Dr Sophie Mort, clinical psychologist and mental health expert at Headspace tells Metro.co.uk.
‘In particular, stress can impact a person’s immune system response, and as a result, cause them to suffer from more frequent illness.’
Tobba Vigfusdóttir, psychologist and CEO of Kara Connect, agrees that mental downtime is essential for cognitive processing and emotional well-being, arguing it ‘should be a regular activity regardless if one is flying or not.’
However, she thinks it’s important to acknowledge that the rawdogging approach isn’t for everyone, adding: ‘Some people may find it more relaxing to engage in familiar activities like reading or watching a movie, which can also provide a sense of comfort and escapism.’
The key is not being too hard on yourself, as well as having a back-up option available if the boredom gets too much,
Jess, who built up her tolerance for entertainment-free travel over time, says: ‘It’s like a practice, it doesn’t have to be a strict rule, but the more often you do
it, the easier and more beneficial it becomes.
‘Perhaps you might try putting your phone/paper/book down for a few minutes during your commute to or from work, just to give yourself time to re-connect with yourself before walking through the door.’
Anna, meanwhile, uses mindfulness techniques and meditation to clear out her thoughts, but says: ‘If I do eventually succumb to it I will try and reach for my journal – which is blank pages so that I can scribble any idea or images down – then get back to the rawdog afterwards.’
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