Do you have a tough time setting boundaries with how much you use technology?
It’s no secret that I struggle with this myself, and is something that I shared when I talked about 6 Reasons You Need to Unplug from Technology.
This past weekend I stumbled upon an awesome infographic that confirms a lot of points I made in that post, and I wanted to share it with you all. It’s been a great reminder for me to focus on making sure I limit my technology use as much as I can.
I think it really reiterates how unplugging can improve your life in so many ways. If this doesn’t give you that extra motivation you need to put the technology away and just soak up life more, then I don’t know what will 🙂 .
I’ve included the infographic and a shortened summary below, I hope this inspires you to unplug when you can and remember that life is too short to be looking at a screen all the time!
How Unplugging Can Improve Your Life
(Original image and article source: http://www.whoishostingthis.com)
Summary of how unplugging can improve your life:
How unplugging helps your health
- Avoid sleep disturbances
- More time for yourself
- Less muscle pain
- You’ll protect your skin
- Improved mood
Tips to help you unplug
- Start small
- Move apps away from your home screen
- Set designated times to engage in social media
- Turn off notifications
- Realize that it takes time to form new habits
Do any of these ways that unplugging can improve your life surprise you? What will you start doing to take more breaks from technology?
XO Christina
Photo source: Ashley Ella Design
I totally agree with this. I try to unplug for at least an hour every day to reconnect with the world. In fact, I try to have a no technology hour with my husband every Monday night. It allows us to reconnect and just talk about things that matter without the distraction of TV, cell phones, etc.
That’s an awesome tradition to implement Terri, I love that!
I’ve just recently started a challenge of sorts with my husband. We both stop using our phones at 9PM. It’s been wonderful. And terrifying. Thanks for the encouragement with this post!
I’m liking your challenge Penny, I might start that with my hubby as well. Sounds like a worthwhile challenge to me 🙂
This is something I REALLY need to work on. I usually check my phone first thing when I get up in the morning and it is such a bad habit. I like the idea of starting small and just trying to not check my phone within an hour (I might have to start with a half hour haha) of waking up. Seems like I could have a much happier start to the day with a run or breakfast than with work emails!
Definitely Ali! Baby steps, right?!
I really need to work on unplugging before bed. I’ve been trying to read a chapter a night of a book before sleeping. Hopefully it’ll help in the long run, if I can keep it up 🙂
I’ve been trying my best to unplug before bed too, it can be really hard to break that habit but helps me fall asleep so much quicker when I do it!
Great infographic! Unplugging is so hard for me since I tend to have so much to do. I can really cut down on social media time and for me, it all comes down to just forming better habits.
I hear you Chonce, it’s hard for me too because it feels like there’s always more to do. But I find myself more well rested in the morning if I unplugged before bed the night before, and therefore able to accomplish more the next morning. It can definitely be a tough habit to break though!
Wow, I really need to work on unplugging. As soon as I have Allie, I’m putting my phone away. I want to be 100% present with her.
I cannot wait to see pictures of her, good luck today girl!! 🙂 Thinking of you and love you guys!!
Unfortunately I haven’t given unplugging a try yet. I would definitely say I check my phone and other electronics far more than I should. I keep telling myself it’s because I have the blog to manage, but honestly I could “batch” that work – typically nothing is SO urgent that it needs a reply within an hour, two hours, etc.
Absolutely DC! It can definitely become a bit more difficult with blogging, but I’ve found batching really helps me too…..when I remember to do it, that is!
This is a great infographic, Christina! The stats about Internet addiction are so real– is it the new coffee, in the sense that it’s a socially acceptable form? I hope we don’t allow it to take that role in our decade!
I hope not too Daisy, it’s really is sad!
NICE! I like that the problems are not only identified, but end up being rectified, by a few easy changes. I used to have such an extreme AOL addiction back in the late 90’s. It was insidious! My blog addiction is nothing in comparison, but it can still use some tweaking for sure!
I liked that they provided a few simple changes to try out too!
For the past year I stopped working on my computer or checking my phone in our bedroom. Sometimes it’s hard but I notice our connection is stronger than ever. I got super lucky, my boyfriend doesn’t like social media, he does talk on the phone but he always gives me his undivided attention, unless he’s looking at food pictures, then I’m invisible. lol
Haha that’s great that your boyfriend isn’t a social media addict, he’s probably a great encourager for unplugging!
What a great infographic. I recently wrote a piece on becoming a phone zombie. I accidentally gave my phone a bath and realised how mindlessly I’d started to use it. The behavioural analysis I did was eye opening!
A while back, my wife and I instituted a screen-free Saturday night as a regular feature of our week. It’s been wonderful in terms of how connected we feel and has led to many more screen free evenings through choice.
Thanks Catherine! I’m going to check out your post, sounds like it’s right up my ally!
This is all so true! I just started a TV ban for a week or hopefully more. I’ve spent too much time on Netflix when I really just want to be reading books! Tackling the Facebook addiction is next…
Love it Heather! I’ve been thinking about doing a TV ban too. I was playing around with the idea of a month, but think a week would be a great start.
All good reasons to unplug! Pre-blogging I banned myself from the internet in the evenings. That’s changed a bit now. Especially since I talked Mr. Crackin’ into a MacBook, ugh!
I know, it’s so tough to unplug at night with blogging. I’ve found that unplugging even just an hour before bed makes all the difference though!
I try to unplug at night because I have trouble sleeping if I’m online all day. It’s definitely a delicate balance because I use my computer to earn a living. There are times when I simply cannot unplug if I hope to get my work done!
I’m the same way Holly. I need to unplug at least an hour before bed or I have a very hard time falling asleep.
wow! How ironic! Over my husbands and my anniversary last weekend, we barely used our phones and never once turned on the TV at the inn we stayed at, and how wonderful and relaxed and refreshed we felt coming home yesterday! So much so that after watching a movie together we sat down and talked about how we want to instill at least one no TV night a week so we can hang out, read, and play games together instead! I’ve said this for a while now but in all reality social media can make us actually less social in real life! And I’ve started to cut down on habitually checking my smart phone every half hour or so too! If not for my coupon apps I would go back to my little cheap keyboard pay as you go phone! We could all use unplugging a little more and to focus on the people in our lives in person more 🙂
That sounds absolutely lovely Rebecca! My little family is embarking on a road trip later this week and I’m REALLY looking forward to unplugging with my hubby a bit. I love the conversations that we have in the car while driving, and our trip will be the perfect opportunity to reall soak that up.
I like the “things you can do instead of checking your email (again)” section! Hahaha! So true though. There are tons of simple little things we can do to give ourselves that moment of mental-break time we think we’re getting from our phones!
Haha I liked that too Chela!
I just went a few days without wifi and it was very difficult! And my phone doesn’t get good service at home so it’s been an “unplugged” few days. I tried writing a post, but didn’t have a way to put any pictures with it! It was good to not have it, but took some getting used to. Got our internet working again (joys of satellite). Great post! Statistics were neat to read.
Thanks Jeniece!
A very lovely infographic mate,
And i agree with all the points there. Its indeed very necessary to unplug ourself from technology once awhile at least, this will enable us to have rest of mind and to also stay focused.
Thanks for sharing.