The first Friday in March is the Global Day of Unplugging, a day dedicated to detoxing from digital devices and enjoying the offline world.
In a world that relies on constant online availability, it is important to recognise taking breaks and connecting with the people and world around us. Here are 5 tips to help us disconnect from the online space and intentionally reduce screen time.
One - Go online with intention
It can be really easy to constantly pick up our phones out of habit or in the hopes of there being something new to look at. Whether it is your personal computer or your work phone, it is important to mindfully access the online world and join with a known intention. Next time you catch yourself checking your devices, stop and consider if this is a practical use of your time. Additionally, make use of your device’s screen time settings to set limits on your usage of specific apps.
Two - Have designated technology zones
Ever catch yourself scrolling the timeline instead of catching Z’s? Try to keep your technology limited to certain areas of your home to avoid constantly being online. This can be charging your phone in the kitchen overnight or using your work laptop at one desk in your home.
Three - Limit online multi-tasking
Multi-tasking can be an efficient way of saving time for some people, but many benefit from mindfully focusing on one task at a time. It has become the norm to appear online while engaging in offline activities, for example, checking work emails while eating breakfast. Similarly, scrolling social media while watching a film.
Try to recognise times of day where this is more likely to occur and limit screen usage while participating in other activities.
Four - Engage in offline activities
A lot of our personal and work life activities are becoming online-based in this digital era. Finding ways of keeping parts offline may help protect the balance. This could be writing physical notes in a meeting or going to find a colleague instead of sending them a short email. Similarly, finding a personal hobby and trying to keep it offline. For instance, baking with a recipe from a book or doing your favourite walk without music or a podcast playing.
While it may feel difficult or even daunting at times to make these small switches, it will become easier as time goes on to disconnect from the digital world in short bursts and be fully immersed in your alternative activities.
Five - Create offline hours
Find space in your day or your week for designated offline hours that you can consistently adhere to. Maybe you actively spend time away from social media for the last hour of the day, you schedule in some offline activities for the same time every weekend or you don’t respond to emails during the evenings.
Taking time to unwind or be present can help boost your productivity levels or enjoyment when returning to your online space, rather than having it be a constant default setting in your day-to-day.
But how do you prioritise unplugging when you have a business to run? Being able to switch off from the digital world is not so accessible for everybody.
With Solweb’s custom software, you can let your business operations run around the clock, with automation that eases the workload while improving the workflow. With over 25 years of experience and a hard-working team of software developers, we can tailor our expertise to suit your business needs.
Want to take the first step in managing your business efficiency? Get in touch with us or find out more here. We’d love to hear from you.
