Taking A Break And Unplugging From The World
The smartphone has been around for more than a decade, and people see first-hand the impact these devices have in our day-to-day lives. Using smartphones has become so natural that people have cited them as an extension of our bodies, much like watches and glasses.
Phones have evolved since their early days as communication devices and have now become a larger screen fit for social media, work, and communication. On average, a person engages with his or her phone more than 2,000 times in a day.
Heavy users can interact with their phones as much as over 5,000 times during the day. The phone has virtually become part of our identities as well, giving other users insights to what our life is like.
Dependence
Nowadays, it’s true that disconnecting from the internet can be challenging. Our reliance on technology has allowed us to work more efficiently and connect easier with the world, turning it into a necessity and a source of comfort.
Without our phones, we feel isolated and have no idea on what’s going on or what’s happening around our circles. We need to update people about our lives with what’s been happening. We need to establish our identities for the thousands of viewers on the internet.
On the Internet, Nobody Knows You’re a Dog!
On the internet, people can pose as whoever they want to be: men posing as women, the young looking old, and amateurs posing as experts. Today, people still create fake accounts and pose as entirely different people; however, the existence of social media allows people to know everything about you.
Social media and the internet can change how we perceive ourselves thanks to being easily connected. The perceptions generated by the masses of people differ significantly from the opinions of our close friends or family; this causes a conflict to how we really see each other.
Establishing an online identity, therefore, becomes a routine to update our viewers on what’s going on, adding to the dependence we already have on the internet.
Disconnecting
The need for constant connection may lead us to feel like part of an endless cycle evident by mindlessly picking up our phones. Connecting to the internet doesn’t mean that we’re not productive or living a better life; however, it can deprive us of personal fulfillment or achieving our goals.
Whenever you feel stuck in the endless cycle of checking the internet and social media, here are some steps to help you get back on track.
Don’t End the Day with the Internet
Sleeping next to our phones is becoming a common practice nowadays; this can be problematic and affects our sleep thanks to the blue light emitted by screens – making it difficult for our brains to relax and fall asleep easily. Instead, read a good book or take a relaxing shower an hour before bed.
Plan Offline Activities
Using our smartphones and accessing social media can get repetitive, no matter how addicting it already is. To break the cycle, plan a trip with friends or consider a relaxing getaway complete with party table rental in Utah and music. Take a trip to famous hiking spots or take an exercise class.
If the outdoors doesn’t suit you, do some house chores or experiment around the kitchen. The list of offline activities are endless and can help you gain more life skills.
Isolate the Tech
Allocate certain places for gadgets such as laptops and smartphones at the end of the day; by doing this, you’ll have to physically check on this location, adding inconvenience and making you head there less.
Disable Notifications and Install Blocking Apps
By disabling notifications and limiting social media use, you’ll allot a specific time to check on them, giving you time to focus on priorities and offline activities.
Disconnecting doesn’t mean putting off our smartphones and the internet forever – we need these to function and get the job done. By disconnecting, we can spend time with our family and friends to learn more about ourselves and establish who we are in real life and in social media.