As much as tech giants and social media platforms want us in, they don’t tell us that staying connected may not be such a good thing actually.
We hear all the time about attaining balance in every aspect of life. Eating a balanced diet, having a work-life balance, and having a balanced workout routine are all things that can allow us to be more productive and lead a healthy life. The problem for far too many of us is that we’re always on.
Never taking a break and not having balance can ruin your drive and personal life. That’s why it is important to disconnect or unplug from technology every once in a while. Doing so will remove negative perceptions from your life, provide you with much needed solitude and allow you to experience life as it’s meant to be experienced.
Fewer negative perceptions
Many people don’t know how much the internet, especially social media, can spark negative feelings. A Facebook study showed that one in three people felt worse after visiting the site, especially if they saw friends’ vacation photos. The most common cause of frustration came from users comparing their lives to those of their friends.
The second most common cause of frustration came from the lack of comments and likes received on their posts compared to other users. The study also noted that both men and women felt the need to portray themselves in their best light.
Disconnecting yourself from this source of negativity will reduce the negative feelings and stress in your day-to-day life, allowing you to have a more clear head. Doing things like turning off social-media mobile notifications or even deleting the apps and using the desktop versions at designated times will make it easier for you to avoid the distractions and lead a more productive life.
More time for solitude
In today’s perpetually connected world, meaningful alone time can be a powerful remedy to recharge and be more productive in your daily life. Alone time doesn’t simply mean being alone perusing through social media. Meaningful alone time is time spent actively trying to better oneself.
Most of us convince ourselves we don’t have space for alone time, or feel it’s a waste of valuable hours in the day. But making time for meaningful solitude has many benefits, including inner growth, improved creativity, and greater attention to our surroundings. Meditation is one thing you should try the next time you have alone time.
Living in the moment
We can get so caught up in capturing the moment that we forget to actually experience the moment. As much as smartphones have improved our lives, we often become too reliant on them and fail to fully enjoy our lives. We use them as distractions to avoid talking to people, entertainment when we’re bored, proof that we attended an event, and the list goes on.
By unplugging from technology, we give ourselves a chance to refresh and re-energize. Taking a break from technology allows us to look at problems with a different perspective — whether it’s work, school, or a relationship. We’re able to focus on what is happening around us in the real world and better solve the issues at hand.
Taking time to unplug each day or week will benefit your productivity more than you may realize. You’ll remove many of those negative sentiments from your life that might only be serving to raise your stress levels, have more time for solitude and be able to live in the moment — all of which will provide you with improved productivity and a more balanced, healthier life.
