Feeling tense? Overwhelmed? Depressed? You could be spending too much time on your phone!
Cell phone addiction is a real thing and we’re all guilty. Here are some things I’ve noticed recently that we do as a society:
Answering text messages while in the middle of a conversation with someone else. Rude!
Walking across the street with our heads buried in our phones.
Checking out at Starbucks while FaceTiming our best friend.
Sitting at dinner with our phones on the table.
Buying groceries looking at our phones because that’s where the shopping list lives.
Texting late at night when we should be winding down.
Passing a bus stop and seeing all the kids looking down instead of up.
Shit! We even text while driving! Scary stuff!!!
The list goes on. It kinda makes me sad. The phone brings us connection in so many ways but as a whole we’re becoming more disconnected. It’s as if we can’t live without them. How did it get to this point?
Think about it. It’s a handheld computer with all of our devices being clumped into one. Alarm clock, GPS, calendar, notes, camera, calculator, weather, books… The list goes on. How can we not pick it up every couple of minutes?
I know we can’t go back, right? Imagine going back to a Nextel or Nokia and not having the internet at your fingertips? It’s not happening. But we can put some boundaries in place to protect our energy to feel more connected.
I recently spent a week away in a remote place. My goal was to break up with my phone for a couple of days. I decided to set some boundaries so I could “unplug”. I made a commitment that I wasn’t going to post anything on social media until I got back. After setting up my out of office auto email, I promised myself I would only check email twice a day. I would send some pics to my parents to let them know I was still alive. But that was pretty much it.
To give yourself an idea of how much time you’re spending on your device, check your screen time. See how many times a day you pick up your phone. The numbers may surprise you!
Here are some boundaries that help:
Turn off alerts. ALL OF THEM.
Out of sight, out of mind. Leave it in another room and go do something.
No phones once you get into bed. Time to shut it down after a long day.
No phones at the dinner table. Period. This is a rule in our house and we love it.
Leave your Apple watch at home.
Limit your time checking social or email. Commit to x amount of times a day.
If you have an iPhone, take advantage of the new Focus feature. It’s great and the name is perfect!
What I noticed about distancing myself from my phone for a couple of days:
Less neck pain (YAY!)
Easier to go to asleep
A deeper sense of peace
How clouded your mind can be, only if you let it.
Life and business will go on.
We all desire a deeper sense of peace as our minds are always on and spinning with thoughts. We’re constantly being taken from the moment by worrying about the future or beating ourselves up about the past. Throw in all the time we spend on our devices and it’s no wonder we’re all stressed and distracted!
Wherever you are, be all there.
I’m here for you. Always.
Namaste.
