By
Dr. Daisy Sutherland
Submitted On August 28, 2013
The alarm goes off at 6am and the first thing you reach for is your phone to check your email.
You get out of bed after 15 mins and take your phone into the bathroom and while sitting on the commode, proceed to check Facebook statuses, Twitter, Instagram and the latest Pinterest pins...
Whew! Nothing new... now it's time to brush your teeth, take a shower and oh yeah..check social media one more time before getting dressed...
Does this scenario sound familiar?
If you are like most folks you will check the various social media platforms at least 30 or more times throughout the day and that is a safe estimate. Perhaps it's time to take a social media vacation.
This age of technology has people connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and although many may feel that is a wonderful concept; the majority of the public is suffering from stress and more.
It is simply NOT healthy to be constantly connected!
It's wonderful to have online connections but at the risk of losing your 'real life' connections; it is truly not worth it.
As a parent of teens, I am to set an example to them. What message am I sending them, if they see me connected to my cell phone or computer instead of connecting with them? The 'real world' is passing you by while you are sitting in front of your computer or have your face in front of your cell phone. This may be a harsh way of putting it but sometimes reality is harsh and it hurts to see and realize the truth.
Your children are growing, your spouse is wondering when you will speak to him or her in person, your pet needs you, and while your online friends are happy to connect with you on a daily basis your 'real - offline' family and friends are aching to connect with you as well.
As hard as it may be to disconnect for several hours, it is essential for your well being, and your relationships. Here are some tips to take a social media vacation:
- Set a timer - let's face it, social media can truly suck you in and what started as 15 minutes will turn into an hour very quickly. Set a timer and stick to it.
- Schedule social media time - make time to have fun online. Add 15 minutes to 30 minutes into your work schedule. Making a habit of this simple tip will keep you focused on your other priorities, knowing that you will have a designated time to 'play' or 'connect' online.
- Turn off the computer - it's difficult to disconnect if your computer is on 24 hours a day. Give your computer a rest and shut it down each evening at a specified time and do it! Once you get into the habit of doing this each night, you will find it easier and easier to simply walk away from the computer.
- Turn off your phone - you may be shaking your head at this tip but think about it..how often do you actually turn off your phone? Give it a rest and shut it off each night.
- Charge your phone in a different place - instead of charging your phone on your night stand each night, consider charging it on the kitchen counter. This simple tip will keep you from checking your phone for emails, text messages and connecting to social media the first thing each morning. Sounds impossible but once you decide to make this change it will get easier.
- Schedule family time - whether you have children, spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend, it's important to schedule time to simply be with them. Truly 'be' with them and not just physically with phone in hand. Go outside and enjoy the fresh air, or watch an entire movie without interruption.
Imagine a world without computers, electronic gadgets or cellular phones... hard to do right?
It's not impossible!
You can truly take a social media vacation and survive. Your health will thank you, your mind will thank you and most importantly your loved ones will thank you. Try it today..take a social media vacation.
You get out of bed after 15 mins and take your phone into the bathroom and while sitting on the commode, proceed to check Facebook statuses, Twitter, Instagram and the latest Pinterest pins...
Whew! Nothing new... now it's time to brush your teeth, take a shower and oh yeah..check social media one more time before getting dressed...
Does this scenario sound familiar?
If you are like most folks you will check the various social media platforms at least 30 or more times throughout the day and that is a safe estimate. Perhaps it's time to take a social media vacation.
This age of technology has people connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and although many may feel that is a wonderful concept; the majority of the public is suffering from stress and more.
It is simply NOT healthy to be constantly connected!
It's wonderful to have online connections but at the risk of losing your 'real life' connections; it is truly not worth it.
As a parent of teens, I am to set an example to them. What message am I sending them, if they see me connected to my cell phone or computer instead of connecting with them? The 'real world' is passing you by while you are sitting in front of your computer or have your face in front of your cell phone. This may be a harsh way of putting it but sometimes reality is harsh and it hurts to see and realize the truth.
Your children are growing, your spouse is wondering when you will speak to him or her in person, your pet needs you, and while your online friends are happy to connect with you on a daily basis your 'real - offline' family and friends are aching to connect with you as well.
As hard as it may be to disconnect for several hours, it is essential for your well being, and your relationships. Here are some tips to take a social media vacation:
- Set a timer - let's face it, social media can truly suck you in and what started as 15 minutes will turn into an hour very quickly. Set a timer and stick to it.
- Schedule social media time - make time to have fun online. Add 15 minutes to 30 minutes into your work schedule. Making a habit of this simple tip will keep you focused on your other priorities, knowing that you will have a designated time to 'play' or 'connect' online.
- Turn off the computer - it's difficult to disconnect if your computer is on 24 hours a day. Give your computer a rest and shut it down each evening at a specified time and do it! Once you get into the habit of doing this each night, you will find it easier and easier to simply walk away from the computer.
- Turn off your phone - you may be shaking your head at this tip but think about it..how often do you actually turn off your phone? Give it a rest and shut it off each night.
- Charge your phone in a different place - instead of charging your phone on your night stand each night, consider charging it on the kitchen counter. This simple tip will keep you from checking your phone for emails, text messages and connecting to social media the first thing each morning. Sounds impossible but once you decide to make this change it will get easier.
- Schedule family time - whether you have children, spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend, it's important to schedule time to simply be with them. Truly 'be' with them and not just physically with phone in hand. Go outside and enjoy the fresh air, or watch an entire movie without interruption.
Imagine a world without computers, electronic gadgets or cellular phones... hard to do right?
It's not impossible!
You can truly take a social media vacation and survive. Your health will thank you, your mind will thank you and most importantly your loved ones will thank you. Try it today..take a social media vacation.
Dr. Daisy Sutherland, CEO/Founder of Dr. Mommy and Friends, is a
doctor, mom, wife, author, 'Get Real' speaker. Her love of helping and
educating others has branched to blog talk radio and syndicated radio
shows and television.
Dr. Sutherland's Mission: To help you find the balance necessary to achieve success in your health, your life and business... To learn more visit: [http://drmommyandfriends.com]
Enjoy this Free gift: [http://drmommyonline.com/motivated]
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dr._Daisy_Sutherland/162283
Dr. Sutherland's Mission: To help you find the balance necessary to achieve success in your health, your life and business... To learn more visit: [http://drmommyandfriends.com]
Enjoy this Free gift: [http://drmommyonline.com/motivated]
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