Creating boundaries... with your tech.
Technology plays to our human cravings to learn, study, grow, observe, and be entertained— it’s amazing. Unfortunately, it's quite intense (and stealthy) in its powers of addiction for those very same reasons.
Subjected to constant sensory input, we've become so inundated with the ideas of others, that it sometimes feels impossible to know our own uninfluenced thoughts. We're forgetting how to look within. Learning to balance external input with internal output is essential to digesting, processing, and assimilating (or releasing) experiences in a healthy way. We have to find a way back to our intuition— to create space enough for our inner voice to bubble up to the surface, and to be quiet enough for the mind to hear it.
Having the world at our fingertips 24-hours a day is incredible, but that doesn't mean we can't or shouldn't exist without it for intervals. It'll easily steal our time, energy, and happiness if we allow it to, preventing us from doing and being in the ways we truly wish to.
Some strategies:
Begin the day in a quiet space without digital distractions (phone, computer, television, radio, etc.). Set a timeframe for this device/screen-free time. 2 hours? 30 minutes? Experiment and see what feels good. It may feel difficult at first, especially if you’re used to reaching for your smartphone or remote as soon as your eyes open to the day, but after a little practice, it’ll feel so great. You’ll start the day whole, rather than fragmented. Conscious. Undistracted. Aware. Autonomous.
Use this special waking-time to center your energy, to wake up slowly, stretch, enjoy the quiet, listen to music or nature, journal, meditate, spend time with your kids, be at one with your body and let your thoughts unravel in whatever ways they need to.
Give yourself space to be YOU without anything interfering with your intuition - it's how we come to know, respect, and further develop ourselves. This may not come easily, but with effort one habit will be broken and a new, healthier one will be formed. You're about to feel SO much better.
During my morning yoga/meditation practice, I leave my phone in another room and use an iPad for music, and music only. I know (from experience!) that a phone will distract me with some urgent curiosity or digital task and steal my limited time leaving me feeling scattered, so l choose to leave it out of reach for a bit. I do keep a notepad and pen close-by to jot down any pressing thoughts that bubble up…because I have a super busy mind around the clock that doesn’t easily quiet down!
If you don’t use your phone as an alarm clock, you might also think about leaving it charging in another room for the night. I haven’t achieved this, but have heard it’s very effective— even just charging it out of reach can be helpful. Click HERE for more tips on how make positive shifts toward better sleep.
Turning off notifications and sounds, and utilizing airplane mode can keep you focused and creative when you’re in flow state. During the day try block-scheduling tasks for set timed periods, allowing you to get into the flow of what you're doing, uninterrupted. When you get the impulse to deviate from your focus, instead of letting your thumb open your device, jot your query down and come back to this list later. Streamlining tech time will make you less likely to be swallowed into rabbit holes. You’ll be suprised at how much better you develop ideas, remember things, and grow in your craft.
Start paying attention to screen time, if you’re not already doing so. When we’re constantly wired into technology (such as social media) which triggers the brain’s reward center, surges of dopamine are released to keep you coming back for more. Overtime, this can interfere with impulse control and our overall feelings of happiness— the beauty of reality slowly loses its competitive edge as we gain less authentic happiness from living life and more simulated happiness from our devices.
Consciously curate your feeds to support your mental health! More often than not, you’re the gatekeeper of your headspace— be mindful of who you allow to enter. Sometimes we need an escape and enjoy being entertained or learning or connecting, and that’s all good, but don’t consume content that harms you. If your feed makes you feel unworthy, triggered, anxious, etc., unfollow (or mute) immediately and seek accounts that relate to interests in your own life, support who you are and who you desire to be. Your scroll has the power to educate you on new topics, make you laugh, show you beauty, make you feel seen and connected, and so much more. Find your people in the online space.
The key (as you’ll keep hearing me say) is to gain awareness. That’s really it.
Begin to notice how often your body acts on autopilot, engaging with tech without your conscious consent, leading to lost time, and possibly numbness, lack of focus, shortened attention span, etc.
Strive to engage with full awareness and thoughtful choice.
I feel differently moving through the day when I have chosen to uphold this sacred tech-free morning time and implement boundaries, opposed to when I have not. I'm confident that you will too! I get lost just like everyone else, but awareness, and desire to be in control of our choices will always make things feel better.