This morning I was having my coffee in the usual spot in my house from a chair next to the window that looks out to the world each day. I have a morning practice of sitting in stillness for at least one cup of coffee while checking in with myself and welcoming in the new day. This practice is so important to me as I depend on the necessary peace that it brings before starting each day. The birds outside my window were especially active this morning, considering it is late January. The singing and fluttering of the birds moving about the trees made me highly aware of all the beautiful life going on outside in nature, appreciating them while feeling the warmth of my inside coziness.
As I sat taking in the gift of that moment, a song came to mind called "Be Right Now" by Ed Sheeran (he writes amazing lyrics). His lyrics say, "I don't want to miss one thing, we can turn the whole world down and listen to the in between we are, we are the sound. There's nothing but the space we're in, the hurry, and the noise shut out. Just stay here and be right now." At that moment, feeling the song and its message was perhaps a prompt for my blog and maybe a reminder to me of the beauty in "turning the whole world down."
One Nielson study shows that American adults spend more than 11 hours each day on their tech devices, listening, reading, and interacting with media, and that's up from nine hours just four years ago. Maybe some of the increase comes from a feeling of isolation from the pandemic and working more from home. With practicality taken into consideration, our accessibility to virtual tech is both a blessing and a curse. There used to be a day when we weren't accessible all day long, and there was a bit of autonomy from the world. There are now digital detox programs and retreats because our digital devices are recognized as a true addiction. But, unplugging is hard, and I get it even I want to check my phone first thing in the morning and tend to pick it up too much throughout the day. Have you ever left your house and forgotten to take your cell phone? I know you have, and how liberating was that?! Yeah, we can choose not to take a call or turn off the ringer, but, yep, we have the notification function on, so we're still distracted by the fact that something needs our attention. Where does all of that distraction lead us?
From my perspective based on personal experience, being perpetually plugged in doesn't give us as much opportunity to be human. Being in constant human-doing mode naturally disconnects us from the beauty of human being, not to mention the more significant concern of its impact on our nervous systems. We are not sleeping, we have more headaches, increased blood pressure, anxiety, and the list does go on from there. There is genuinely a trickle-down effect to our many hours of being plugged in. Okay, so it's not all gloom and doom; technology has many practical and helpful aspects. And I believe that we were endowed with the intelligence to design and use it, but there's a learning curve that we are discovering with its over-usage.
I think we all know that excessive use of our devices may impact us on an intellectual level. But, practically speaking, we have to want to generate some space in our lives, which is up to us individually. Digital devices have become habit-forming, and just like altering any habit, we have first to want to change a pattern and give a new habit time to settle in. Discovering your reason for changing it up is an essential first step. I feel better when being disconnected for bits of time. I know I am giving myself the needed break to go inward, creating an intentional opportunity to just BE. Secondly, a part of my motivation is that on some level, it feels physically healthier not to have an electronic device so closely impacting my physical energy field with the radio-frequency or X-Rays that they omit. Here are some small change suggestions, keeping in mind that every new habit takes time to integrate, and turning the whole world down may be worth it! Discover your why before changing your habit and create one slight adjustment at a time.
This one is huge for setting the tone of your day; Upon awakening, maybe check to see if anything pressing has happened overnight and then leave your device right there on your nightstand for a predetermined amount of the morning, say the first cup of coffee, etc.
Turn off the notifications settings, especially at night! Do we need to be aware of every single FB entry!
Put devices away during mealtime engage with your meal and company.
Consider going to the store or running errands without your phone. If you feel you have to take it, maybe leave it tucked away in your car while in and out.
Try watching an entire program or movie without engaging your phone throughout.
Set realistic limits to your daily usage and utilize an app that reports your everyday use.
Preset a time to check emails, social media, etc. Maybe morning, the late day well before bedtime, don't carry that crap to bed with you!
Maybe even consider what apps could be deleted or unsubscribed to emails as a way of generating more space and less noise.
Give yourself time and space before sleep by unplugging well before bed, allowing your brain to slow down. You can set your phone at night to only receive calls from preset persons such as family etc., for the sake of emergency contact.
Put your device away when you're in a meeting or hanging out with friends and family. Show them that they are more important than everything else going on!
Be prepared for separation anxiety and remind yourself that you're creating a new healthy habit.
Try replacing the time on a device in conversation with another.
Find a book or magazine you love.
Sit in stillness, challenge yourself to utilize your senses to take in the world around you.
Get moving, put away your device. You can take it with you if it makes you feel safe, but let it be while getting some fresh air. Just bundle up!
Find a hobby, something more interesting than social media.
Don't take your phone to the bathroom with you. Take an actual time out!
Clean out a closet or tend to a project that doesn't require your device.
Spend a little time journaling
Volunteer your time
Just stay here and be right now,
XO Donna
