Ways to Unplug Every Day

At what point does it become too much?  No longer do we gasp when a toddler who can’t even talk yet is able to navigate an Ipad or a cell phone better than some adults.  No longer do we question whether it’s ok to take leave from work by a quick text to your superior. Little by little our social etiquette is changing, but at what cost?

So much stress is caused by the overload of stimulation. The amount of information coming at people is alarming.  Our bodies have not yet evolved to be able to handle it, so it is necessary to be mindful of how much is too much. Simplifying, minimising, and slowing down are all ways we can create more peace in our daily lives and reduce the pressure we are putting on ourselves to keep up.

Here are some tips that will help you manage just that;

USE SCREEN LIMITS ON YOUR PHONE

You can set time limits on certain apps, certain suites of apps (ie. social networking apps,) or on your overall phone usage. You can also set downtime, where your apps snooze from bedtime until the next morning (or whatever time parameters you set.) But, yes, you can override them with a simple passcode. If you're like me and you lack self-control (or if you just want to look at your phone) you can enlist a loved one to set a passcode that's a secret from you.

Here's the thing. As humans, we should be able to have our phones and curb our dependency on them without dragging our loved ones into it. But, getting a little accountability into the mix, especially as a means to form new habits, is not the worst idea.

Set realistic time limits. If you're constantly going over the Instagram limit, consider increasing it a little bit. Set weekly goals and reduce your usage over time.

ERASE APPS YOU DON'T NEED ON YOUR PHONE

Consider the apps that have desktop versions, too.

For example, Instagram does have a desktop version, but you can't access the messaging, nor all the fun that comes with swiping up on stories. However, there are some apps that just don't need to be on your phone—simply because you don't need to have access to them all the time.

Get rid of the apps that you don't need on your phone. Catch up with them on your desktop at another time. You'd be surprised how much you won't miss.

CHECK-IN WITH YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

We are all familiar with the mental implications social media has. We all know that people are sharing their highlight reels, but that doesn't always necessarily compute. If you find yourself scrolling through accounts that only make yourself feel worse, get that phone out of your hands!

There are any number of things you can do when feeling down. Bake something, take a nap, or read a few short stories. If you're feeling particularly down or out of sorts, chances are that social media will only make you feel worse (unless you check out what people are doing on Tik Tok, which is incredibly uplifting.)

LEAVE YOUR PHONE ALONE AT LUNCH

When I use my phone at lunch, it always ends up the same. I have a greasy screen riddled with fingerprint swipes and I never disconnected from anything.

It's no wonder we are all so burnt out. We take little to no time away from any screen. We're addicted to the red notification dots, to the pull-down to refresh feature, and toggling from app to app to app and back.

Leave your phone alone, at least for a little while every day. Go for a walk without her. Turn her off for a few minutes. Leave her home when you're going out for a lovely dinner with your significant other. Leave her in your glove compartment when you go to the beach.

This will instantly enable you to become more present in your life and that in turn will do the following;

Strengthen interpersonal communication and your relationships

Boost creativity and focus

De-stress and calm anxiety or fear

Improve gratitude

Create inner peace and joy