Reap the benefits of staying more present in life by learning how to digitally unplug from technology and blue screens. It seems to get increasingly easier to stay plugged into the familiar comfort of blue screens than it is to be mindful and in the moment. As the UK daily average screen time reaches 6 hours and 25 minutes, a total of 45 hours per week, it might be time to change that. Simply imagine how much more playful, creative and fun your life could be if you used these hours, or at least some of them, on things that bring you joy instead.
Learning how to unplug also gives your brain the time to rest and recharge, helps you to stay present in the moment and to be more creative. If you want to deepen your connections with people around you, unplugging from technology is also beneficial.
So to help you stay away from screens and be more mindful about your screen time, here are 7 simple tips to help you unplug and be more present in today's technology-driven world.
1. Use An Alarm Clock In The Morning
Stop yourself from reaching for your phone first thing in the morning by getting an old-school alarm clock. This allows you to find your balance before being bombarded by notifications and information from the outside world in the morning. It also helps you to not look at your phone the last thing before you sleep as you can put it in another room during the night.
2. Turn Off Notifications On Your Phone
To avoid information overload and apps demanding your interest each time your phone lights up, beeps or buzzes, turn off notifications on all apps that don’t require immediate action.
Examples of apps that are easy to start turning off notificcations for are: news apps, store apps, social media and the notifications of random apps that require no attention (for instance camera apps). This will lighten up your phone, make you less distracted and is a great tip to staying present.
3. Leave Your Phone In Another Room
Research shows that having your phone in view distracts your brain whilst decreasing your mental capacity for other tasks. This even includes having your phone placed with its screen down near you. So to properly unplug and be mindful in the moment, put your phone in a different room, preferably in airplane mood, and enjoy the benefits of a less foggy and more creative mind.
4. Make Your Time Away From Screens Enjoyable
To savour the moments when you unplug from technology, spend your newfound time exploring hobbies or start off by simply getting some rest. In the beginning, it can be difficult to spend less time on our phones, so take the time to choose activities that you like to do and that bring you joy - because how else are you going to stick with it. Pick up a colourful puzzle, learn how to do pottery or create your own creative activity box at home. The world of screen-free time is your oyster!
5. Go #Offline48 This Weekend
To stay present in the moment a whole weekend, try Venetia La Manna’s #offline48 challenge and go off social media for a full weekend. This helps you enjoy your time off without FOMO or distractions by making you less focused on what others are doing.
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6. Go For Walk Without Your Phone
Give your mind a break while treating your body to something good and go for a walk around the neighbourhood or park. This time, leave your phone at the door and instead of listening to your favourite tracks, take the time to listen to your own thoughts and the sounds of your surroundings. This helps you notice and appreciate small details in the everyday that you might have missed with the usual technological distractions.
7. Break Habits
If you track your screentime, you can also spot when and where you spend most of your time online and try to break those habits. Create a morning routine that involves at least 30 minutes to an hour of finding your own balance before you open yourself to the world of scrolling. If you find yourself scrolling on your way to work, try to replace it with a good book. It’s all about finding those small, fun and easy changes, because those are the ones that you will want to stick with.
What are your best tips to unplug? Share below and let's inspire each other ✨
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