It’s nice not being so connected at all times. I remember when people would just leave you a message and you’d return said message at your leisure or your earliest convenience.
We live in a time where people have cell phones hanging from their ears at all times, updating social media from smart phones wherever they are, checking email for work & play, surfing the web, texts and if you don’t respond to a text, you get a 2nd one asking to confirm receipt or an immediate response. Phone calls are not a special occasion and it’s not unusual to take a call in the middle of a conversation.
All of these luxuries,of which I am guilty of as well (and love as a techno junky) become demands on our time. It can be a constant, intrusive stream of communication in your life.
The simple fact that we can be connected at all times doesn’tmean we should be connected at all times. When is it that you shut things off and enjoy the time you have with the people that are right there with you? I am working on being present in the present.
As a parent who works full-time in a home-office situation, it is difficult to unplug.
But, I remember when I burst into tears of joy on a vacation over five years ago after I realized my phone wouldn’t work because of the elevation. I knew nothing could interrupt my trip and what a relief that was! This is when I knew taking technology sabbaticals are necessary. And so are setting boundaries and rules about technology and time in the day-to-day that have worked well for me.
I have worked in technology and in a remote office setting for the better part of the last 10 years. Here are a few ways I’ve discovered to access some of the inner peace I lose when I don’t save time for myself:
- Settingmy phone to vibrate at all times.
Beeps, notifications and ring tones are distracting. They take away from conversations and activities. I have found iPhone to be less intrusive than my Droid, which flashed and went off with emails. I felt I was obsessively checking in to make the flashing stop. iPhone allows me to have notifications on my badges, so I can see it when I want to check in.
- Turn off the landline ringer.
I mostly use my iPhone as my main phone, as do most people. The landline is something I have for work and for longer calls with family. Since it is not unlisted, I tend to get random calls. It is just one more interruption that I don’t find necessary.
- Don’t answer the door.
As a person who offices at home, if I am working and need to not be disturbed, I don’t answer the door with a few brief exceptions. I find this especially important during the precious three hour window when BOTH kids are in school.
- Shut out the extra noise.
It’s hard with kids, and some like it forbackground noise, but I try to keep the TV off unless we decide we just want to veg. I DVR my favorite show or things I think the kids might enjoy, but we usually have a purpose when we turn it on. The kids are better behaved when they don’t watch as much and complain less when I ask them to turn it off. And it helps me come down from work as we ease into the evening if it's just not on period.
- Turn off my cell phone at night.
It's the little things that keep us from teetering over the brink...As I’ve gotten older (and hopefully wiser),I have found that I need at least 8-9 hours of sleep at night. So, this is a way that I can make sure I get a full night’s undisturbed rest. Some people ask me, “But what about an emergency?” I will be a much better person during an emergency if I am rested. Truly, I mean it when I say – IT.IS.BEST.FOR.EVERYONE.
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