“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” We all need breaks. Monotony is not only boring but it can also be stressful. We are living in the digital era where the boundaries between work, recreation and relaxation are blurred. With the new age essentials of work-from-home and available-on-call, we are constantly attached to our smart devices, worried when we might be needed at work. We are constantly hoked to screens and devices, plagued by FOMO. Quoting the Eagles we are literally “all just prisoners here, of our own device”.
Whether it’s an impending deadline, upcoming exams, the health of our loved ones or our own weight issues due to unhealthy lifestyle, we are either waking up with anxiety or perennially distracted by our smartphones. The answer to this is uncluttering! Unclutter to be more attentive, unclutter to bring calmness and unclutter to lead a better lifestyle.
Meditate
Bring more focus on what is important in life. In order to have a peaceful existence, we need to focus on things that satisfy us and to bring that change meditation is the way forward. Meditation reduces stress, redirects your thoughts and increases attention span eventually calming us, free from worries.
Be more secure
We shouldn’t fall prey to the myriad filters of social media with pictures of exotic destinations and retouched beauty. Everyone has time to shine. Accomplishments in life will come our way in due time but that delay shouldn’t lead to depression or insecurity. We must remember, we are only as good as we think we are. The lesser we judge ourselves the more secure we will be in life and less worried we will be.
Embrace rejections and learn from failures
It is a cliché to mention ‘failure is a stepping stone to success’ but it sums up the meaning of success or failure in our life. The failures we face are not the negative aspects of our lives, they are the experiences on which our perspective is built. Every time life rejects us an opportunity we should go back to the drawing board and revaluate our effort to be better. Accepting our situation whether good or bad and learning from it ensures our growth.
Take short breaks from social media
Social media is exciting. It helps us to stay connected with friends and provides access to information with the touch of a button. But it comes at a cost. It shortens our attention span and makes us inconsiderate when we keep checking our phones while talking to someone. Go for a ‘social media detox’ by keeping your smartphone aside while conversing and take intermittent breaks from social media to be less distracted.
We explore the importance of digital detox in this article.
Exercise to relieve stress
Walking is the easiest and physically rewarding exercise in terms of staying fit while also leading a happy life. This exercise ensures a break from our tedious routine and the internet as well. It also is a great stress reliever.
Enjoy your mornings without looking at your to-do-list or smartphone
Start the day by devoting time to yourself. Enjoy your coffee, have a full breakfast without the distractions of glancing at your phone or checking your to-do-list for the day. Earmark some-time in the morning where you can quietly enjoy being with yourself.
Live each day to the fullest and spend time with yourself. Remember- “Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.”
