In the realm of ideas that might change the world, putting your BlackBerry down for a day might seem like a silly one. After all, technology gives us the tools to make an impact, and this category of the Character Approved Blog in particular focuses on how technology and new media is being used to make that impact. Sometimes, however, the best lessons come from something unexpected.

That is certainly the case with the Offlining movement, a project that launched this past Father's Day with a humble call to dads everywhere to put down their BlackBerries, turn off their iPhones, store their laptops and just enjoy a day with their families without the interruption of technology. In this interview, one of the creators of the Offlining movement, Mark DiMassimo, shares a bit about the inspiration for the project, why it was so personal, and how inspiration can come from knowing when to walk away from technology instead of letting it control our lives.

The Offlining movement might seem like an odd cause to take up for two marketers who actively use technology for promotion--why was this project so important to both of you?

It's personal. My partner Eric Yaverbaum and I spend the better part of our daily lives online. We also have families, business partners, employees, clients and friends, all of whom deserve and for the most part expect a certain quality of attention. So, we're living the paradox.

The movement launched with a call for fathers everywhere to put down their BlackBerries and turn off technology for a day during this past Father's Day. Can you share a bit about how it went and whether you were happy with the launch?

We rushed to get ready for Father's Day, and only had a week to get the message out, so the activity floored us!!! Over 20,000 cards [promoting the project] were downloaded and sent through Twitter alone. We had 75,000 unique visitors to the site; one in three sent a card from the site. And, we had 8,117 pledges (over 10% of visitors signed the pledge and we're just getting started!). This was supposed to be a soft-ish sort of launch, so we're delighted and believe this indicates we've hit a nerve.

Are technology and quality time with family and friends really such opposing forces? What about social networking or other uses of online technology that sometimes help bring people together?

Technology is wonderful for connecting and reconnecting people. It creates occasions for sharing common interests and play as well. Technology also makes necessary tasks easier and quicker, potentially creating more time to connect. Of course, we spend most of our time selling just these advantages. However, we can use technology to promote the overlooked but essential value, and to contribute to a conversation that may help people restore some balance.

For the overly wired readers who can't imagine going offline for any amount of time, what tips can you share to combat the fear of being disconnected that may be keeping some people from joining the movement?

The bestselling author, Dan Heath (Made to Stick, Switch), told me that in order to focus on writing, he uses an old, stripped-down laptop with no email or Internet connection. Were it not for this offlining innovation of Dan's, we would not have the inspirational books. Just think: What could you accomplish by creating some space for yourself?

If the Offlining movement catches on, how do you think it might change the world we live in?

Sensible rituals help people and families maintain their balance and connection to the important things. My family has a family night every week, and the kids make sure Dad keeps his vow to stay offline. When Eric takes his son to a Yankee game, the two of them count how many people have their faces in their PDAs and how many are watching the game. Our humble wish and bold expectation is that more people will adopt rituals that make offline time a regular part of their lives. We think they will find that their interactions, with people and with technology will be richer, more purposeful, and more satisfying.

Beyond that, we don't believe we're starting a trend. We believe that we are naming one that is already in progress. We're using our skills to accelerate it. Eric and I expect to fuel a national conversation about this, and to see others take the conversation and the innovation to levels we can't even imagine.

And we have pretty good imaginations ;-)

Mark and Eric, for helping dads everywhere refocus on what's really important and starting the Offlining movement, you're Character Approved.

[Image: Offlining]