We should unplug not only our outlets when we do not need them, but also ourselves when we do not have work that needs to be done. Our computers go on a ‘screensaver’ mode, changing up its environment, and so should we. If we have the decency to give our phones a break, don’t we deserve one too?
I’ve recently self-diagnosed myself as an addict of technology. My hands cramp from the unnatural position they are always held in, whether molded around a phone or hovering above a keyboard.
Here are three tips that I have used to unplug and set forth in nature, something that is diminishing quicker than we think.
- Delete apps. Simply removing my applications that I mindlessly check has allowed me more time to myself, time for my mind to rest, without information bombarding my thoughts. On an Android phone, I also have the option of removing applications from my home screen. The measly extra step of scrolling through apps to find the one I’m looking for has successfully prevented me from accessing Facebook, Gmail, Youtube…platforms available on my laptop anyway.
- Walk to class. When you’re on the bus by yourself, you tend to look at your phone, watching the new Tasty video or reading your friend’s new status. When you walk to class, you have to look around and take in your surroundings for safety reasons; next time, take a moment to enjoy this process too. Count how many people are wearing glasses. Look for anything blue (or gold). Feel the breeze on your face.
- Open your curtains, and if you’re feeling extra adventurous, open up the window too. Already on my fourth semester here at Cal, I know the struggle of wanting to be outside, but having other responsibilities. It’s hard to drop everything and take a stroll down Sather Lane. So, as a compromise, let the sunlight and some fresh air in. Treat yo self.
Hopefully, at least one of these three tips will inspire you to immerse yourself into nature. Taking care of your health, physical and mental, is a responsibility too.
by: Wicia Fang