In today’s connected world a variety of gadgets, apps, connected devices and virtual assistants are constantly feeding us information and push notifications to catch our attention. Few of the most popular apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and other news apps are capable of generating an endless feed. One can keep browsing from one post to another till the eyes start hurting but the feed does not end.
In a quest to assimilate this endless flow of information we forget to acknowledge that we are in effect abusing our mind and body. Not only this strains our system as we are not allowing our mind and body any rest but also the information itself creates a lot of stress. Slowly this starts showing up as fatigue, irritation and lack of focus.
Hence it is very important that we acknowledge the role of digital information and social media in our lives. It is important to stay updated and there is also a fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) but not at the cost of everything else because you-only-live-once (YOLO). You need to lift up your head and take notice – There is a physical world around you – outside of the digital world.
We must understand that we need to take time to unwind on a daily basis and add some activities in our daily routine like talking to a loved one, reading a physical book, taking care of a pet, gardening or spending time with friends before the digital starts to take a toll on our lives.
A number of people do not know how to unwind as they keep jumping from one task to another from their “To Do List”. For them I can share an analogy that I read somewhere. Think of tasks as individual carriages of a train pulling into a station. As the train slows down, become mindful of the gaps between the carriages – the calm spaces in your mind. Slow down and calm down between the tasks – this will in turn enable you to get more work accomplished and you will not feel overwhelmed by too many things on your plate.
Equally important is to understand the significance of enjoying guilt-free leisure time and take regular vacations. Make it a point to take at least one, if not more, week-long family vacation every year.
