Self-Care Challenges in a Digital World

We live in world surrounded by technology and there is a cost to being connected 24/7. Smartphones and tablets make our lives easier by giving us instant access to information as well as entertaining us. But this era has forced us to feel like we can never really log off. To what detriment? Yes, I can check my email, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or whatever every few minutes throughout the day, or respond instantly to a text, but what are the consequences of doing that? How can we use technology wisely?

We now need to consider taking more active control over our connectivity. Instead of mindlessly doing something on a device, I need to check in with myself, notice what I’m doing, and think about what’s best for me at that moment. This is mindfulness, the practice of observing what is happening in the present moment. So, when my phone beeps, am I a creature of habit and drop what I’m doing, or stop talking to the person there in front of me to have a look? Or do I practice mindfulness, which is necessary for self-care?

So, what does digital self-care look like?

• You can set boundaries for yourself about times to be off email and other work-related matters.
• You need to keep your body moving, taking frequent breaks from sitting still working on a device. Getting up to take a walk, do a few stretches or focusing on something else for a bit helps reduce eye strain, prevent repetitive strain injury (RSI), and even can enhance productivity. Sitting in the same position for too long can make you end up sore and fatigued. When you’re in the moment it can be easy to keep going and forget to take breaks. No surprise, but there is an app for that! Many timer apps are available to choose from where you can adjust the frequency of the breaks in the settings. Some offer notifications, some just make a sound. The Awareness App makes the soothing sound of a Tibetan singing bowl whenever a specified period of time has elapsed. Some apps utilize different kinds of breaks, such as micro-breaks, rest breaks and a daily limit. One app called TomatoTimer uses the Pomodoro technique, which breaks work sessions into 25 minutes of work broken by 5 minute breaks and one 10 minute break every hour. Another app called Eye Care 20 20 20 uses the 20-20-20 rule recommended to help eye strain: Every 20 minutes take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away.
• You can make sure you’re actually interacting with the world and people around you by putting down the technology, or better yet, leaving it at home.
• You should disconnect at least an hour before bedtime. Turn off notifications on your phone then, too. You can use a ‘do-not-disturb’ app -how many times have you been woken up by a text or social media alert in the middle of the night from those that don’t care what time it is? Not only does checking your phone activate your brain and delay sleep, but the blue light from your phone can throw off your circadian rhythms and suppress melatonin production. For a more in-depth conversation about sleep, refer to the Sleep section.
• It’s OK to stand in line at the grocery store or sit in the doctor’s waiting room and let your mind wander. It’s ok to drive in silence. It’s ok to not be doing something. In fact, research has shown that mind-wandering can enhance creativity^[1] and positively affects working memory.^[2]

One last thing to take into consideration: