“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
—Anne Lamott
1. present- moment awareness
If you live entirely in the present, you are also in control. Life is happening right in front of you. These experiences will never repeat themselves but if we are too busy staring down at our screen, we’re gonna miss precise moments. This is your reminder to be present.
2. improved sleep
Our mobile phone is not your friend when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, especially if it’s used in the hours close to bedtime. This is partly due to the physiological effects of the “blue light” of the screen, which impacts the brain’s production of melatonin, delaying the onset of sleep. To help your body to fall asleep when it needs to, try to stay away from bright screens 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Even just unplugging an hour before bedtime to be extremely helpful in being able to fall asleep right away. Try it out!
3. productivity and learning
Any work that requires a focused mind will benefit from a media break. Studies show that always-on behaviour is harmful to long term mental health. If you're struggling to stay productive in this “new normal”l. We have a simple way of learning to concentrate better. It goes like this: take a techtimeout, which will extend your focus and help build mental concentration.
4. stress recovery
Taking a break from digital devices allows you to let go of the stress that stems from constant connectivity. For many people, ever present digital connections for example checking emails, social media accounts and text messages account for the majority of tech stress. Doing a techtimeout is one great way to set limits and reduce your fear of missing out or any feelings of stress, anxiousness or anger you may be feeling after time spent on social media.
Do you have a difficult time unplugging from technology? If so, do you find any of these reasons above to be helpful motivators?
