For those of us who clearly remember a time before smartphones, it’s easy to see how
this technology has changed us and our relationships.
In the morning, instead of quietly waking and adjusting to the light
of day, so many of us grab our phone and check our alerts—before we even
set
our feet on the ground. During coffee or meals with loved ones, we
incessantly check our devices—only half listening to the conversation.
When
hiking through a beautiful landscape or witnessing a life-changing
event, we’re peering through our screens to get the best shot for
Instagram. And
that’s just a snippet of how our lives have changed.
5 Ways to Take Breaks
While this technology is certainly here to stay, it doesn’t mean it
has to take over the world around us. You are in control of your day,
your relationships
and your habits; so harness that willpower and use these ideas to
tune out the noise and enjoy the life in front of you.
1. Whenever you get home, leave your phone in your bag or drop it in a
basket by the door. If you’re worried about missing an important call
or an emergency—think
about getting a landline or digital home phone. If you have kids,
having a home phone isn’t a bad idea.
Tip: If you have a smartphone, set up an auto-text reply to
go out to people who call or text, asking them to reach you at your home
phone.
2. Put your phone in the backseat (the trunk is even better) when
you’re driving. Not only does the phone distract you, but you’re missing
out on some
great downtime to listen to music, think or just take in your
surroundings.
Tip: Auto-text replies come in handy here, too. Set up a reply alerting people you are driving and will get back to them shortly.
3. Set designated “shut-down” times. Before dinner, have everyone
drop their phone into a basket or leave them in their rooms. When you
head outdoors for
some quality family time, don’t bring them along. We did survive in a
time before cellphones!
Tip: If you make this a regular thing—it’ll become easier
for your family to break the habit of using phones during family time.
And hopefully
it’ll carry-over to the next generation!
4. Leave your phone in the car when you’re meeting a friend. If
you’re concerned that someone at home may need you, let your family know
where you’ll be.
If it’s truly important, they can call the place of business to get
ahold of you (that’s how we did it in the old days!).
Tip: Ask your friend if you can both go “phone-free” for
your coffee or lunch date and enjoy some genuine, uninterrupted
conversation.
5. Too hard to leave the phone behind completely? Set it to airplane
mode or turn off all your notifications. Then pick times you can check
your phone—perhaps
every two hours or at 42 minutes after every hour. Find what works
for you.
Tip: See if your smartphone has a feature to set “quiet
hours.” On most Apple devices, this feature is called “Do Not Disturb,”
which only allows
calls from specific people to come through. You can also set it to
ring if a number has called twice in less than three minutes.
