Like most of us, I use technology. I can ping messages in a heartbeat or chat to someone online. I share memorable moments in my life via social media and on a smartphone. Plus, I store files on Cloud, send images via Dropbox and share documents on Google drive.
Technology has a ubiquitous presence in our lives.
But how much is too much?
While I’m neither anti-technology nor a monk in a cave, being at the mercy of technology isn’t a good thing. To me, it’s downright digital overload.
With so much reliance on technology, how do we strike a healthy balance?
Here are seven steps to start cultivating healthy digital habits.
1. Take regular mindful moments
No matter how much you need to use technology to get work done, take regular mindful moments throughout your day. It’s as simple as looking away from your device and pausing.
It’s not going to eat into your time. Nor is it going to get you out of flow. In fact, it can help you become calmer, clarify your thoughts and be more productive.
I usually find it’s best to stand up, then stretch and shake it off, kind of like a dog does after they get up. Otherwise, I end up with a numb butt and tight shoulders.
I do this ‘shimmy and shake’ from head to toe, sometimes with my eyes open; other times shut. I also like to take deep breaths from my belly and up into my chest so that my rib cage really expands and lets the energy flow.
The beauty of this is that you can do it in up to a minute at a time.
Sometimes my mindful moments see me move away from my workspace entirely and look out a window. I either place my attention on something outside, or I give myself permission to momentarily daydream. I like mixing it up.
Even when you’re downloading or uploading large files to a device, it’s an opportune time to have a mindful moment, including sipping on a warm, not stone cold, cuppa.
2. Start single-tasking
When using any technological gadgets, avoid having multiple devices or programs going at the same time.
For instance, if you’re working on your laptop or PC, stick to one program or document being open at the time.
Having multiple windows or documents open means you lose your train of thought. It also increases the risk of mishaps occurring, like the device freezing or information ending up in the wrong place.
Basically, focus on one thing at a time.
3. Create healthy boundaries with email and social media
Given the number of emails that are likely to be received on any given day, check them at designated times. Otherwise, if you do it haphazardly, from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep again, you end up being all over the shop. You’re less focused and not as productive.
For instance, I check my emails when I switch on for work in the morning to see if anything needs my immediate attention. If not, I flag it and respond to it later that day. Then I might check emails around early or late afternoon. On average, I have two designated email checks per working day.
During those times, I automatically delete those emails that don’t require follow up. It stops my inbox from looking like an email tsunami.
And if you’re in the habit of using social media daily, try to keep it to a healthy amount of time, say, a maximum of 15 minutes once per day. Although I’m not a fan of using it every day, given that studies have shown that a person spends more than 20 minutes each time they’re on social media, and that usage can average three to five times per day (totalling almost two hours!), 15 minutes is an improvement.
Even better, see if you can go without using social media for consecutive days. Try using it every second or third.
4. Keep your smartphone at a respectful distance
No matter where you work, leave your smartphone in your bag. Alternatively, place it on another desk away from you. That means you have to physically move to answer or use it. Having your smartphone right next to your laptop, PC or tablet is just amplifying the electromagnetic fields, let alone distractions.
Even when I walk the dog, I do it sans smartphone. It allows me to switch off from anything technological. Instead, I appreciate the fresh air and natural surroundings. It also means I have quality time with my pooch.
If you find you’re ‘hooked’ on your smartphone, you can keep track of your usage via the Breakfree app. Ironically, you have to use technology to gauge how much technology you’re using.
5. Switch off overnight and during leisure time
Whatever devices you use, switch them off as soon as you have finished your work for the day. Most importantly, turn them off at least one-hour before going to bed.
Looking at bright screens for any length of time is not great for your wellbeing, nor is it conducive to a restful night’s sleep. In fact, it’s overly stimulating for your brain.
If you feel the urge to keep your phone on, leave it in another room, not right next to your head while you’re sleeping. In saying that, I don’t have a digital clock next to my bed, either. From a young age, I noticed that I would get too wired if it was anywhere near me.
The bedroom is supposed to be a sanctuary, which means it’s a technology-free zone.
The other thing I find a conflict of interest is when smartphones are ‘switched to silent’, not off, during the likes of a yoga or meditation class. Then there is the urge to check them as soon we emerge from our inner sessions.
Give yourself some time before switching your smartphone back on. And if it’s an evening session, leave it off until the following morning.
I switch my smartphone off so that I can switch off. Otherwise, it defeats the purpose.
6. Avoid checking electronic devices when you first wake up
To ensure a more harmonious start to your day, when you do wake up in the morning, don’t check you smartphone or electronic devices first thing. Wake up naturally.
Stretch, breathe deeply, shake or dance, meditate, do yoga or exercise if that’s your thing. Or have a shower and brekkie. Because when you look at any devices straight away, you’re already setting the tone for the day: frazzled and/or fragmented.
7. Unplug once a week
Having a digital-free day at least once a week means not looking at any electronic devices for 24 hours. For many, that’s challenging, especially since we’ve allowed ourselves to be so accessible.
But it’s also because we’ve become dependent on these devices. We feel the urge to Google at the drop of a hat, or use our smartphones as clocks, weather checkers and navigators. Most of all, we feel ‘connected’. As a result, we can’t switch off.
For me, I find it’s best to do a digital-free day on a weekend, especially from a Friday night or Saturday morning. It’s only if I need to use my smartphone for the likes of social outings, overdue catch ups on the phone, or finding locations, that I have it on during these times. If so, I reallocate my ‘switch-off’ time.
Each time I unplug, I feel recharged. I also feel less dependent on my devices.
Of course, unplugging, especially when technological overload has been a habit, can initially induce feelings of anxiety or boredom. That’s why it’s important to be mindful that it’s a transitional phase.
After all, life is meant to be a balance between, as William Powers, the author of Hamlet’s Blackberry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age, said: “connected and disconnected, crowd and self, the outward life and the inward one.”
How do you cultivate digital mindfulness?
Post & Images by Kristin Lee
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