We love social media here (obviously)…

BUT too much of anything can be a bad thing- including social media, and the stress that too much time on social media can cause.

To help us find ways to disconnect one of our wonderful interns, Kathleen, wrote this post. Enjoy it, and happy disconnecting!

How often do you find yourself aimlessly scrolling through your facebook, instagram feed, checking text messages or emails? I know it tends to happen to me quite a lot. For a while, I was not even aware I was doing it.

As mindfulness starting playing a bigger role in my life, I realized how often this was happening and the feelings associated with this mindless scrolling. To be perfectly honest, most times those feelings were not contributing anything positive to my day.

While technology is an excellent tool that can have many positive contributions in multiple ways, too much of a good thing can be harmful.

Check in with yourself:

1. Do you feel like you couldn’t go a whole day without using your phone?
2. Do you check your phone for alerts (texts, emails, calls, etc.) even when it doesn’t ring or vibrate?
3. Do you use your phone even when watching TV?
4. Do you keep your phone next to your bed when you sleep so you don’t miss any calls?
5. Do you find yourself going to check your phone when you’re out at a restaurant with someone when they get up to use the restroom?
6. Try keeping track of how often you check your phone. You may be surprised how often it is when you’re paying attention!

If you answered any (or all) of these questions/statements with a “yes” don’t worry, you are certainly not the only one.

Here are some tips we try to implement into our daily lives to unplug!

• Choose to start your day phoneless. (Maybe even get an old fashioned alarm clock so you aren’t even tempted to look first thing in the morning!) It’s easy to take a look at your phone for text messages or emails first thing in the morning when you wake up. Instead, give yourself time to wake up in a different way without becoming consumed in your screen. Drink a glass of water, make breakfast, meditate, or focus on your upcoming day.

• Designate some time during your day that is technology free. Whether it’s 15 minutes, 30 minutes, maybe even an hour. Have some time away from your screen during the day. The specific time doesn’t matter, what is most important is the discipline of learning when and how to power-off. We can get so caught up in our phones and everything we need to get done during the day that we rarely take time to relax during the day. Take at least 5 minutes of that time to take some deep breaths, have a dance party, anything that relaxes you that has nothing to do with the work you have for the day!

• Find your triggers. When do you most often mindlessly scroll? At the restaurant when waiting for your food or your friend gets up? At a red light while driving? Waiting for the subway? Challenge yourself to be aware and see what modifications you can make to extinguish those triggers!

• Shut down at bedtime. Our brains need time to unwind from the day to get a more restful sleep, your phone can easily distract you from that. Research suggests that using electronic devices such as our laptops or cell phones can disrupt our sleep patterns. At least 30 minutes before you are planning to go to sleep, set your phone aside to unwind. Create a bedtime routine that has nothing to do with your phone.

• Get outside without your phone! Take time to connect with nature without having your phone with you. It can help you relieve stress, sharpen your focus, and calm your mind.

How will you try to power-down to boost yourself up?

Have a happy holiday weekend and happy disconnecting!

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