Disconnect From Your Devices

The technological advances over the past century have been tremendous, there is no doubt about it. Cell phones, computers, and the internet have all made daily life easier and created a world in which we are well connected to people around the globe and have access to endless information. These technologies have made an extensive impact on the business world as well as on personal life, making it hard to shut off these devices and live in the real world. In fact, 84% of cell phone users admitted that they wouldn’t be able to go a single day without using their device (Pew Research Center). It appears that over the past few years we have developed an unhealthy attachment to our devices and it has made a drastic impact on face-to-face interactions. This is a problem that should not be ignored. Setting aside time to disconnect with our devices is important for building healthy relationships and even for maintaining good physical and mental health.

The constant connectivity has led cell phones to become addictive.

They have made us available 24/7 and we are always expecting to check our phones, even when we don’t hear or see a notification. Checking email, social media, and messages and responding to each notification immediately even elicits a dopamine response in many people. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that controls the pleasure center in the brain, so checking our phones triggers a feeling of gratification as if we were rewarding ourselves with a bowl of ice cream after a hard workout.

Being too involved with social media can take a toll on your mental health.

Many people have become dissatisfied with their own life because of what they view on social media. The constant comparison to how other people look, what they are doing, and where they travel is an unhealthy obsession we have become all too familiar with over the past few years. One important thing to remember about social media is that what people post is totally in their control. This means that people’s profiles aren’t necessarily reflective of their real life and are generally constructed to show an idealized version of life that makes them look better. Instead of comparing yourself or feeling jealous towards others, be inspired by what people are doing and maybe create a personal bucket list of the things that you would like to do. That way you have things to look forward to when you have free time and you create opportunities for yourself to live and connect in the real world.

Being on the phone this much can take away from valuable time spent with others.

In the fast-paced world that we live in it is already difficult to find time, and it’s much harder to find quality time to spend with those we love. Relationships with friends, family, and coworkers suffer when we aren’t fully engaged due to distractions from our devices, so put away your devices! While it is a nice idea to want to be available to your clients at all times, I think they will understand if you choose not to answer their call on a Friday night. Whether you are at dinner, out for drinks with friends, or enjoying a game night with your kids, turning off your cell phone can make a world of difference in the quality of that time spent together. You will be fully present in the moment, creating an environment in which healthy relationships have a chance to grow and flourish.