A Complete Guide on How to Disconnect and Unplug

Screens have become an inescapable part of our lives. Without even realizing it, we could spend almost half of our day in front of a screen. On your TV, laptop, cell phone, or tablet.

Although technology is quite useful especially in today’s competitive world because it helps us achieve many tasks quickly and efficiently, it’s also important to unplug once in a while to focus on our real purpose in life.

We often hear people complain that they don’t have time for certain activities especially ones that involve going out and taking part in some physical activity.

However, these same people would be found focused on their cell phones replying to comments on social media or just checking out products, wasting time.

Then there are people who always feel overworked and stressed out. They seldom find time to relax and unwind and be happy for a change.

In order to get some extra free time for ourselves and to relax our mind from all that work-related stress, we all need to disconnect from technology and workday from time to time.

Why Disconnecting and Unplugging is Good for You

It has been recently discovered that an average American spends almost 10 hours a day in front of a screen, which can be anything from a laptop, tablet or cell phone.

It’s true that spending time in front of the screen is inevitable while you’re at work, it’s possible to disconnect and unplug while you’re at home with family and loved ones.

But sadly, we are so used to checking out social media sites (which are increasing in number with the passage of time), watching movies, and playing games that we don’t put our phones down even when it’s time for sleep.

And for people these games and social media are so addictive, they keep them awake all night long.

Research shows us that if we don’t disconnect from devices 1 to 2 hours before going to bed, we are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety as well as have more chances of getting burned out.

It also affects the quality of sleep as a result of which we wake up feeling tired and gloomy.

You can imagine what it does to our productivity at work and later on when we need to spend time with family in order to nurture fruitful and satisfying relationships.

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Disconnecting and unplugging is good for you because it keeps you physically and mentally fit.

It also allows you to have some free time in which you may pursue some other activities like meeting up with old friends, going grocery shopping, or completing some household work that you have been putting off.

Technology has made us lazy, which is why we keep delaying everyday house chores like cleaning up or doing the dishes.

When we’ll decide to unplug, we will definitely find more work for these chores and feel refreshed and accomplished after completing them

How to Disconnect from Work

People need to disconnect from work every once in a while to feel relaxed and to increase productivity once they get back to work.

It has been seen that people who don’t find time for themselves are often found tired and fatigued, which ultimately leads to frustration and lower productivity.

They also find it difficult to create a work-life balance and as a result, suffer from failed relationships and poor physical and mental health.

Now that we know unplugging is good for us, the question is how to disconnect from work every once in a while? Here are some tips to get you started;

  • Make a schedule for work even if you have to work extra hours or from home. Stick to it no matter what.

    One way to achieve this is to plan ahead especially when you know the work you will be doing in the next couple of days.

  • Switch your phone off for a couple of hours every day during the time you want to relax and unwind.

    Instead of watching TV or movies on Netflix, find a healthier way to relax your mind from work-related stress.

    Go on a walk instead or cook something for everyone in the house.

  • Spend time with family especially children as it helps to release tension and feel connected to your loved ones.

    Pursue a physical activity with them or help them with their homework.

  • Use an organizer tool or app to help stay focused and prioritize work projects according to their importance and deadline.

How to Unplug from Social Media

Disconnecting from the internet has become an impossible task for most of us especially after the emergence of so many social media sites and the fact that we can now check everything on our cell phones using smart apps.

However, there are some ways that can help you disconnect from social media once in a while to feel more refreshed and more connected to nature and real life.

Let’s have a look at how you can unplug yourself from social media without feeling that you are missing out on something very important.

1. Power down your phone 1 hour before going to bed.

Make it a habit to put your cell phone on silent mode or completely power it off way before it’s sleep time.

Read a book in bed instead of scrolling down Instagram and Facebook.

2. Spend your free time doing something productive.

It’s impulsive to turn on our phone screen and enter the world of social media whenever we have some free time on our hands.

The next time you feel this urge, turn to something more productive like cooking, drawing, doing a crossword puzzle or cleaning up.

3. Only have a couple of social media sites.

Delete the ones that you don’t need otherwise you would find yourself switching from one app to another just to check the notifications.

4. Set a time for social media posting.

Make a schedule for checking out social media sites and stick to it.

5. When it’s time to relax, leave your phone in another room.

The best way to stay away from social media is to leave your phone elsewhere especially when you are doing something to relax your mind.

How to Disconnect and Relax

Disconnecting from work doesn’t mean you should pick up your phone or tablet and start browsing or watching movies on Netflix until you feel tired and sleepy.

The actual purpose of detaching yourself from work is to bid farewell to all types of devices and screens even if they are meant to entertain you.

You need to make time for yourself in which you can feel relaxed and release physical tension.

Here are some tips on how to relax and feel more refreshed;

  • Go on a walk

    Shutting out technology from life once in a while helps us to connect to nature and rediscover the purpose of life.

    Going on a walk is the best way to feel revitalized after a stressful day.

  • Write down your experiences

    One way to release mental tension and anxiety is to gather up your thoughts and write them down in a diary.

    This helps to get things off your mind especially the ones that make you stressful and anxious.

  • Do something for someone

    It could be as little as helping out a loved one achieve something. For example, help your child with their homework or a parent complete a task.

    This would help in getting back that positive energy you need to be more productive and more satisfied.

  • Go on vacation.

    This may not seem like a viable option for some because it costs money but it’s very important to disconnect from everything in life once in a while to relax and unwind.

    Save some money each month especially for traveling or vacation and use it at the end of the year to do something different.

Unplugging from technology and especially social media is good for our mental and physical health and it also gives us more time to focus on what we really want to do in life.

Detaching yourself from work and everything related to it helps one to relax and have the ability to think more clearly.

When you are physically relaxed, you are more capable of performing everyday chores and have a good night’s sleep.

It is advisable to teach relaxing techniques to children so that they may learn to unplug and focus on the real things right from the beginning.

Feeling stressed out is fine but controlling stress is important because if we let it linger on, it will have many negative effects on our health and life in general.

People who don’t make time for themselves often suffer from confusion and insomnia as well as many other risks like increased use of drugs, feeling hopeless, and losing interest in almost everything life has to offer.

Don’t neglect the importance of disconnecting and unplugging every once in a while if you really want to be happy and lead a healthy, rewarding, and successful life.

Rebecca

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