Quick fire questions –

How many times per week do you eat a meal whilst using your smartphone phone?

How many times per day do you answer the phone to your boss or a colleague when you’re working on a complicated task?

How guilty are you of doom-scrolling on social media, or checking emails in bed before getting up in the morning?

When was the last time you travelled your commute and kept your devices in your bag and just observed your environment?
 

Now for a big one . . .

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU TURNED OFF ALL YOUR TECH FOR TWO WHOLE DAYS OR MORE ???(including TV’s, Radio’s, Phones, Computers – EVERYTHING)???

 

Most of us are guilty of at least some of these habits some of the time – however the upwards trends of being ever connected are taking it’s toll on society.


MORE THAN THE OBVIOUS REASONS TO DISCONNECT –

– The use of tech while eating results in higher caloric consumption 

– Smartphone use and constant ‘availability’ is strongly associated with mental health challenges for both children and adults

– Multi-tasking is for the most part a fallacy, meaning that overall, people, even women, can’t actually perform two tasks simultaneously resulting in poorer execution of all tasks. Worse still, chronic attempts at multitasking can have a serious impact on our memory and recall.

– Trying to do to much at once has also been shown to affect out health in the longer term.

DO EVERYTHING BETTER, AND WITH LESS STRESS . . .

So here’s what you can do – SAY NO!

SAY NO – to your boss(es) when they are interrupting you. You can explain that you’ll be a better employee if your day is structured differently.

SAY NO – to your phone when you’re eating. You’ll become more aware of the food, of the textures and tastes, and most importantly, you’ll reconnect with your hunger and satiety signalling. Chances are that over time you’ll make better food choices too.

SAY NO – to emails at the weekend. Why not go one step further and once a month completely disconnect for 48 hrs? I won’t explain how good you’ll feel – just go and try it.

Lastly, SAY NO to every external distraction when you’re with others. Your kids, your friends, your partner. Not only will they benefit from your presence, and you’ll treasure the moments in years to come, but providing them your undivided attention will also result in reduced stress and better health for you in the short and long term.