Today, it seems no matter what age, you are attached to some kind of device 24 hours per day. What if we decided to begin the Summer NOT trapped by technology? Does the very thought send you into a digital anxiety spiral?
For people younger than a certain age, the idea that not too long ago, people didn’t carry a phone, camera, or television around with them seems beyond comprehension! Back in the old days, when the phone rang and we weren’t around to answer it.
The answering machine took care of it for us. The pace of life is non-stop! Sometimes our technology contributes to digital anxiety in ways we don’t even realize! Get our free report to simplify here!
Feeding Digital Anxiety
We may think smartphones, tablets, and 24/7/365 access to EVERYTHING simplifies our life, but is that really the case? How many people do you know that bring and use their smartphones or tablets everywhere?
Posting, checking, searching instead of talking, enjoying, living the moment? I’m anxious just thinking about it! Here’s the thing: We create our own digital anxiety by forcing ourselves to stay connected more than we need to. Oh yes, I just said that.
Vacations Give Way To Digital Anxiety
What about vacations? Have you, or a partner, skimmed business emails when you ought to have been basking in the sun on a sandy beach? The pressing issues of business contributing to prolonged digital anxiety instead of unwinding from said anxiety?
It’s highly unlikely that conducting business while on vacation is going to help you relax. The stresses associated with work stay with you. We have become accustomed to immediately answering any calls that come our way.
Letting a call go to voicemail is a foreign concept for many. Here’s the challenge for your next big vacation away: In advance of departure, let your colleagues know that you will be away, and NOT check in until you return to town.
Digital Anxiety Therapy: A Weekend Experiment
Try the following experiment to determine how much digital anxiety has a hold on you:
- Do a search (yes, it can be online) for a remote area that is not too far from your home. Try to keep it within one to two hours of driving if possible.
- Choose an area that has no internet or phone service available. Although these are getting harder to find, they still do exist in many locations.
- Once you find this area, go for a day trip. Better yet, try to make it an overnight camping stay.
- Go old school and pull out a map, chart your course, and go. Phones off, locked away for safekeeping, and all 5 senses engaged for your adventure!
When you return home from this trip, write down how you felt having no access to the connected world. Did you panic, or were you able to relax? Any key realizations? What did you miss? What did you learn you could live without?
There are retreats that do not allow any devices to be used while visiting. Many people who participate in these retreats feel freed up from the stranglehold that technology places on them.
You Get To Control Technology In Your Life
Technology is important. It’s difficult to imagine anyone being able to work or do business without at least some form of interconnectivity. We need to call customers and email prospects.
We need to answer customer service inquiries. There is also the fact that we need answers that the internet can provide, and it makes sense to be able to grab them quickly. We stay connected with friends and family on social media.
However, when we are consumed by the very technology that is supposed to make our lives easier, we lose something in the process. At that point, it’s time to take a step back and reflect on what is happening, deny digital anxiety a place in our lives, and try to find a way to reset it.
Get Your Free Report: 20 Ways to Simplify Your Life, 15 Minutes at a Time
Ready to take some steps toward simplifying your life? Clutter in our homes, offices, or minds can slow us down AND weigh us down. It’s time to join the revolution against the piles of STUFF and get our free report: 20 Ways to Simplify Your Life, 15 Minutes at a Time.
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