In this day and age, the majority of us are definitely guilty of racking up a less than desirable screen time on our phones. With the current situation meaning that the majority of us are now working from home, you might have noticed a further spike in the amount of time spent on your phone. Therefore, it is more important now than ever to practice ‘the art of switching off’. It doesn’t have to be for long, but even just half an hour without any electronic devices on around you will do wonders in all aspects of your health. Here are some tips on how to perfect the art of switching off, including some things you could do instead of being on your phone.
Turn off Notifications
This doesn’t mean that we have to turn off all notifications, it just means turn off the ones that aren’t of high importance and that may be interrupting your work e.g. Facebook and Snapchat. If you are being distracted by four notifications an hour from these apps, you are essentially not fully focused on the task at hand. Rosie Millen aka Miss Nutritionist, the UK’s leading Burnout Coach explains: ‘We live in a comparative age, which is not healthy. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed we are reminded left right and centre of what everyone is doing and achieving in every 24-hour window.’ This further emphasises the need to switch off notifications every now and again to get back in touch with real life, and to ensure the comparative nature that these apps promote does not take over your life. Give it a go even for an hour, and see what difference it makes to you.
Meditate
Putting your phone to one side to take part in some meditation will have endless benefits. “Meditation. Honestly if you haven’t started doing this yet I really encourage you! The best thing mediation does is reduce anxiety. So if you are in a state of overwhelm then you need to start doing it now! It really helps to centre you and focus your mind to a more relaxed, positive state. Download the apps Headspace and Calm to get you started.” Says Rosie. If you want to induce an even further state of calm and relaxation, try incorporating a good quality CBD product into your meditation sessions, such as Terpenes+ from CannabiGold. containing a unique combination of beneficial ingredients including CBD and terpenes that can be found naturally in hemp, delivering the most effective way to support the optimum function of the human body (https://cannabigold.co.uk/product/oil-cannabigold-terpenes/, 250MG Oil RRP: £24.99).
Learn Something New
In the hour that you put your phone aside, try learning something new whether that be a new language, a new fitness goal or maybe to get more savvy in the kitchen! Now is the perfect time to pick up a new skill what with the endless amounts of spare time we now have. You will feel a real sense of achievement as well when you realise just how much you can achieve for an hour without your phone.
Switch off Before Bed
The Blue light from your phone is an artificial colour that mimics daylight, which is really not what you need when you are trying to wind down for the day. There is research which found a link between supressed levels of melatonin and exposure to blue light- melatonin is responsible for controlling your sleep-wake cycle, so when your body runs low on it, you could experience insomnia and tiredness throughout the day. Try making your bedroom a tech free zone an hour before you go to sleep; it will do wonders!
