Life has been very stressful lately. I’d expand on that, but frankly it would only add to your stress dear reader, and I imagine you have enough of your own to deal with.
We are living in a fast-paced world and thanks to our smart phones we are accessible 24/7 and, more importantly, expected to be accessible 24/7.
I’ve always found my iPhone to be invaluable, with most of my work done via email on my phone or via apps. Most of my social connections are based on it too. Most of my communication is social media based, or a quick text here and there. Whatsapp and Messenger enable me to feel connected to friends and acquaintances, but am I really? Is a quick message every now and then the same as a phone call, or God forbid, an actual chat over coffee? No, of course not, and that’s the problem. The smart phone apps enable us to feel like we are socialising, but we are actually in our own homes, in our PJs hardly seeing anyone (or is that just me)?!
Smart phones are a great tool, but just lately it feels as if, rather than working for me, I have become a slave to its constant notifications and interference in everyday life. It’s not enough to switch notifications off either, just knowing it is within easy access means I check it constantly, whether there are notifications or not. What if I miss something?! FOMO is real, and sometimes debilitating.
Social media is just as useful as our phones are, but again, lately I’ve found it taking over real connections and I’ve decided to cut down drastically on its use. So, here is my simple plan for some lifestyle improvements… check back with me to see if it is still in place in a month.
1. Check emails, messages and work-related notifications at 9am, lunch time and after dinner ONLY. I do not constantly need to be available. Checking for emails every five minutes is not healthy, even if we are still trying to sort a mortgage two years on (thanks to Liz Truss – don’t get me started on that debacle).
2. No more doom scrolling. Check out real friends’ timelines every now and then and send them personal messages or call them. Arrange a meet up whenever time and distance allow.
3. Instead of posting regular updates about what I’m up to on Facebook, start writing again via a blog. I intended to write a weekly blog when we moved here nearly two years ago, I've written one in that time.
I moved to this wonderful county for a more relaxed pace of life, to concentrate on my family, get back to basics and have time to pursue my interests. I used to love writing, but social media is turning me into an idiot. It gives me a false sense of connection with the world, and it’s time to reconnect and set better boundaries for myself. Here I go… why not join me?