Electronics are all around us and although they provide a multitude of uses for us as humans, they can be something that we can often be too reliant on. It’s important to try and balance your relationship with these electronics so that you can function without them where possible. With that being said, here are some tips for having a healthy relationship with your electronics. In an age where technology is everywhere, it’s important to have some control over it.
Monitor Your Usage
Firstly, it’s important to be aware of your usage. Most of your electronics like your computer or your phone will be monitoring how much time you spend on these devices. This is information that is definitely worth you knowing too. It can be helpful to see just how much or little you are using of your electronics as it might inspire you to make conscious changes to how you use your tech. For some, it might not be that surprising, but nowadays with so many of us active online, it’s likely to be a higher amount of time spent than you’d expected.
If you’re looking to see your usage, then check on the settings part of your app and that should have a section to tell you about your usage of the phone. It can also be broken down into areas like the internet, social media, emails, etc. That way, you can find out which area is doing the most damage in terms of trying to gain your attention.
Take Breaks
Breaks are definitely important when you’re trying to have a healthy relationship with your electronics. Whether you’re working at the desk in your office or endlessly scrolling through your social media channels whilst commuting, it’s important to give yourself a break. Too much time spent on these electronics are likely going to give you a headache and can also do some harm to your eyes too.
A lot of these electronic devices have blue light and this can cause some strain on your eyes, leaving them dry and sore. It’s not something that’s pleasant to deal with and the more you strain your eyes, the worst it will get. It’s worth looking at a site like https://www.eyeglasses.com when it comes to shopping for the right eyewear. Having glasses that block out the effects of blue light can be very beneficial. It’s especially so if you’re someone who has a lot of time spent in front of a computer for work.
Challenge Yourself To Leave Electronics Alone
Have you ever challenged to leave your electronics alone? It might not be for a week but perhaps a day or even just a few hours? However long you’ve gone without it, it’s something that you can always work on bettering. It’s especially the case if you have a habit of picking up your phone every five minutes. Even though many would consider something like a phone to be an extra part of your body, it’s good to try and leave it alone to give yourself a rest.
If you’ve not challenged yourself before, see how long you can go, to begin with. Perhaps it’s a good idea to start off with short intervals and then make them longer. That way, you’re not going cold turkey if you’re someone that is particularly reliant on their phone or computer.
Manage Notifications
Managing your notifications is something that you certainly want to try and do in order to take control of the electronics. Notifications are made by apps and your phone or device in order to capture your attention. They are a distraction, and likely you’ve found yourself distracted when it comes to your phone or device when you hear that familiar ping sound. With that being said, it’s a good idea to try and manage your notifications by either limiting what pops up or perhaps removing the notification option altogether.
Although that’s likely to be a frustration for the apps and devices that rely on the notifications, it’s still something that can be healthy to do in order to stop yourself from looking at your electronics.
Have A Digital Detox
A digital detox is something you want to try and do every so often because the results of it can feel so good! A digital detox is where you ditch all of your techs for a period of time. Whether you focus on just your phone or all devices, it’s healthy to hit the reset button and to focus on making yourself feel better. Things like social media can be all-consuming, and it’s important to hit pause when you feel yourself getting overwhelmed or perhaps emotionally affected by your phone and the online world.
At the end of the day, you’re the one in control and so if you need to stop for a while and have a detox from the digital side of life, then you can. It might be something you do for 24 hours or perhaps maybe for a week or two. It’s certainly going to help you bounce back refreshed and ready to go again.
Create Positivity Across Your Feeds
Your social feeds influence others, whether you have a big following or not. And as a result, we all have a responsibility to post authentic content where we can to show that real life isn’t all photoshopped and perfect. Not only that but spreading positivity is infectious, and it’s much better than trolling or putting someone else down. There’s enough negativity in the world, and more is not needed. So with that being said, try to create more positivity across your feeds when you can. It’s important and necessary to ensure everyone else is happy too.
Having a healthy relationship with electronics can be a tumultuous one, but it’s something you can learn to manage better. Find ways to help cope with putting the phone down every so often and if you work at a computer every day, try to take regular breaks.