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Day TWENTY: UNPLUG

HEALTHY HABITS DAY 20: Unplug

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” - Anne Lamott

There is no denying that our world today is based on connectivity. And the reality is for most of us, it would be challenging to disconnect for an extended period of time.

But I do believe that we can find ways to become more conscious of our technology usage and develop healthy habits around its existence in our lives. To use the interweb with increased awareness and responsibility. To be more ‘mindfully mobile’.

➡Did you know that one in three people feel worse after visiting Facebook/Instagram and more dissatisfied with their lives? Yet we can’t seem to pull ourselves away!

Research shows that unplugging from social media is good for our mental health & well-being and improves personal relationships.

Unplugging allows us to be more present with ourselves, and others. It grounds us to the world around us. It provides an opportunity for self-reflection, quiet, and stillness where our hearts and mind can communicate their important messages.

Learning to power down, unplug and disconnect from technology can create a greater sense of connection and builds the muscle of discipline. Important skills for our modern world.

Some tips and suggestions to unplug a little more:
✅ Start your day without grabbing your phone. Henry Ward Beecher once said, “The first hour is the rudder of the day.” Spend that time wisely to foster a positive, fresh start to your day which impacts your mood, energy, thoughts and emotions. Take some deep breaths, meditate, hydrate, go for a walk/exercise, read, enjoy the simplicity of quiet time (if possible). A good goal would be: Screen-free for the first hour of the day.\
✅ Set a timer when using social media apps to avoid getting trapped into the endless scrolling/going down the rabbit hole! I like to set a timer for 15-30 minutes and once the time is up, getting off screens/out of the app.

✅ Take scheduled breaks during the day. Commit to a certain period of time away from technology. Connect with people, nature, yourself instead. Check in with how you are feeling and what kind of self-care you might benefit from.

✅ Turn off and/or put away technology at least 1 hour before bed. Blue light emission from devices in the evening can block melatonin release by up to 3 hours, negatively impacting your sleep. Instead, read a book, take a bath, try yoga or meditation, listen to music (and maybe even dance a little!). Unplugging for an hour before bed can be challenging at first. I’ve been doing this for a while now and it has become my favorite part of the day. The quiet time in the evening has helped me feel so much calmer, more grounded, it has been nurturing for my soul and improved my sleep.

Disconnect to reconnect. That's where it's at!!
What do you think? Are you willing to try any of these?

unplud