The Power of Unplugging
Have you thought about how attached to your phone, texts and social media? Everywhere you look people are on their phones. We need to know exactly what is going on as soon as it happens.
I just got back from one of the most amazing trips of my life. Ten days in Italy. I vowed to keep my phone in my hotel room. That way I wouldn’t be tempted to look if I were to get a text or call. Doing so, only takes away from the moment. It disrupts you from whatever you are doing, as you are 2 places at once-where you are physically and being somewhere else emotionally. You can’t have the same experience if you are not totally immersed in what you are doing.
It also helped that there was a 7-hour time difference, so the amount of time I could be checking my phone-whether it was personal or professional was kept to a minimum. As a result I was able to relax and enjoy myself much more than if I was attached to my phone.
Have you ever thought of how your life might be different, or how you might feel emotionally if you weren’t so attached to your phone? People think they have all these online friends, and that suffices. Are these people really your friends? If they were local, wouldn’t you be spending time with them if they meant something to you? These so called ‘friends’ on line take you away from your real relationships. People tend to become depressed and feel isolated if their main means of socialization is on line. Nothing can replace being there and in the moment-whether it’s a smile or a hug.
This also affects the relationships of many people. Look around when you go out to eat. Do you see families or friends each on their own phone? Imagine how much more enjoyable or intimate the meal can be if there are no phones at the table? Being on the phone while in the presence of others takes you away from that person and minimizes the time you have together.
Many times in relationships, couples feel a sense of isolation from their partner. One person sees the other on the phone or computer and then goes and does something else because they think their partner is busy. Thus they are not connecting, which can destroy relationships. You may want to consider some boundaries with phone use in your life-such as no phones at the table, or no phones/Ipads in bed at night.
Perhaps if you are feeling stressed out, as most of us are, you might consider trying unplugging. See if you are able to enjoy things more because you aren’t distracted.
If you feel you need some help in this area, please give me a call at 713-304-6554.
Take care,
Debbie
