Disconnecting from A Connected World
Wow what a year! If we can say anything with 100% certainty, it’s that 2020 did not turn out at all like we all thought it would be. Months of uncertainty, high tensions and unpredictability can really stack up. We are finally nearing the end of the year and we are doing everything we can to unwind and prepare for a fresh start. One of the biggest ways we have been doing that is by disconnecting. We live in a society that can easily put us on information overload. We carry the entire world in our hands with our smart phones! It’s okay to need quiet time, it’s okay to disconnect and it’s okay to make it a regular thing.
We are here to share some ways you can disconnect and quiet down everything else except what matters most. The first thing to do is do a little inventory. What is the worst thing that can happen from unplugging? What will you miss that you can’t catch up on later? The answer is most likely, not much. The world needs the best version of you and that version comes when it’s not fatigued by screens and bad news. Join us on this journey to an unplugged life.
1. Create ground rules
Create some ground rules for yourself and write them down. There is something about writhing things down that make it more official and permanent. Hold yourself accountable. Maybe it’s something like, don’t go on social media before my morning tea. Another rule could be limit screen time to a certain amount per day. Perhaps you don’t let yourself go online in certain places of the house like the kitchen, your bedroom... even the bathroom! Letting yourself just go on your phone any time anywhere sets yourself up to get drawn back in. Ground rules will set the course for healthy boundaries and hold you accountable.
2. Set timers on your phone
Every once and awhile it can be relaxing to just scroll on your phone. However, like anything else it’s only healthy in moderation. Utilize your timer app and set a timer when you start scrolling. Maybe you are giving yourself 30 minutes to scroll, set your timer when you start and listen to it when it finishes! You can start out with longer time spans and adjust as you get used to being on your phone for shorter amounts of time. When the timer goes off, simply walk away from your phone until your next scheduled scroll time.
3. Turn off notifications
It’s tough to stay off your phone when it’s constantly lighting up to try to entice you back in. Go into your settings and turn off notifications for certain apps. Shutting off the notifications doesn’t mean you will stop getting them all together, all that fun stuff will still be waiting for you when you enter the app. It just means that your phone isn’t constantly dinging and blinking making it way easier to focus on what’s happening right in front of you.
4. Charge your phone elsewhere
When it’s time for your phone to recharge, let yourself recharge as well. Set your phone on the charger in a room that you won’t be in. Give yourself some physical distance. The few hours it takes to charge a phone is the absolute perfect opportunity to detox. Of course, there will be people who need to get in contact with you. You can make routine checks throughout the charging process, but make sure your phone is charging in a space where you can’t get comfy so that you don’t get sucked back in.
5. Stay accountable
Tasks like this are always easier with a friend! Find someone who can keep you accountable and vice versa. Check in with each other, text before and after a phone detox, encourage each other and share the benefits.
There is nothing wrong with having a phone, and apps, and Facebook friends and fun games! But they all are secondary to what’s happening in the world around you. Make sure you are giving yourself the mental space it needs to function and thrive in 2020!