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Abstract

around the table and each one of them is looking down at their phones. That’s not a group, even less a group of friends hanging out. Where is communication, engaging, learning about each other; where is the connection?</p><p id="bff0">Social media is not real life, we chose what to share (most of us) and mainly we share what makes us look good. It’s personally - face to face-, in confidence with a friend, that we open up, that we seek an give advice. That we are real.</p><p id="2e7f">When you’re with your friends and family, set your phone aside and <i>be </i>with them. They are your real life, they should be what matters the most to you.</p><h1 id="04b6">While you’re travelling</h1><p id="8ba3">How often you travel somewhere new and spend the time sharing the pictures you’re taking on your social media? And then, because your virtual friends comment, you reply. You are not enjoying your trip, you are collecting material for your virtual world, while your unique experience is happening. That is acceptable if you have a travelling blog or if you’re travelling with commercial purposes. But it’s not so fine if you’re travelling for leisure.</p><p id="9932">Take a break from your virtual world and enjoy the trip — that’s why you went away, wasn’t it? To have a break from your real life. You took time off, you’re away from family and friends, so why is it so hard to do the same with your social media?</p><p id="0577">I’m not saying to cut with your virtual life while you’re travelling, only to manage it better. Set a time during the day to do it, maybe in the evening, before dinner, or while drinking coffee after breakfast.</p><p id="a079">Make unique <i>real </i>memories from your travels, not virtual ones.</p><h1 id="b226">While you write</h1><p id="9aee">No writer can deny how much phones affect our productivity, especially if we’re already in a procrastination mood.</p><p id="e830">You have to be disciplined and set a time to check your phone — do it before and after your writing session, never during. Even if it’s <i>just </i>to check your Medium stats or to reply a message, you know perfectly well the moment you pick up the phone, you won’t put it down soon. There’s always something more to do, to google or to respond/react.</p><p id="bdad">Focus on your writing, set times to check the phone and stick to it. If it’s hard for you to resist the notifications, put your phone on the aeroplane or not disturb mode.</p><p id="7a44">There are ways to prevent you from getting distracted by your phone, you just have to want them.</p><h1 id="7594">On a date</h1><p id="5e18">Seriously: is there anything more frustrating and annoying than going out on a date and the person you’re with keeps checking the phone and engaging with his/her virtual world? <i>How special that makes you feel?</i></p><p id="0cd2">If you’re on a date, make yourself a favour and enjoy it. Get to know the person in front of you. If you’re not having a good time, leave, don’t use your phone as an escape.</p><h1 id="af42">Before sleep</h1><p id="8638">If checking your phone when you wake up is b

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ad, doing it before you sleep is no different. The updates, the comments or the news you read have a high probability of causing you anxiety, even if mild.</p><p id="f02a">You want your bedtime to be as smooth and peaceful as possible, and at this time of day, everything you do can affect your sleep quality. Why take a chance of getting upset or agitated before sleep? It’s not like you’re going to do anything about it that moment, so it might as well wait until the next morning (after breakfast, of course).</p><p id="48d5">On your bedtime, engage in a non-virtual activity, like reading a book, meditate or enjoying a mindfulness moment. Take this time to be thankful for the good things that happened during the day (there’s always something), smile to life, it tends to smile you back.</p><p id="66fa" type="7">Enjoying your own company is more satisfying than anything happening in a virtual world.</p><p id="9808">Use your time wisely, you want to look back to your life and realize you actually <i>did </i>things, you met amazing interesting people, that you <i>felt </i>real emotions.</p><p id="927f">Enjoy your virtual world: learn, laugh, connect. But prioritize your real world, that’s where life happens.</p><p id="c826"><b><i>Reading suggestions:</i></b></p><div id="786a" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/5-natural-ways-to-boost-your-energy-557380175919"> <div> <div> <h2>5 Natural Ways to Boost Your Energy</h2> <div><h3>Improve your energy levels by adopting these simple actions</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*o76sXCl10VWshWOrdQYsaA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="ccc3" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/need-to-improve-your-sleep-turn-on-the-white-noise-effc299c0ddd"> <div> <div> <h2>Need to Improve Your Sleep? Turn On the White Noise</h2> <div><h3>The benefits of white noise for sleeping (adults and children)</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*HQ7VVIBxB9WX38HS)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="2247" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-health-benefits-of-reading-ebfe50a6b0f6"> <div> <div> <h2>The Health Benefits of Reading</h2> <div><h3>10 reasons why you should read (more)</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*VGJdQ4X6--cK8oDR)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

When to Be Offline (and Enjoy Life the Best)

The key moments to disconnect from your virtual world

Much has been said about the harms of being constantly connected to the virtual world, to be on. You are on your phone, on your social media, on your several apps. Technology took over our lives. And as much benefits it brings us, to much exposition has a negative impact on your life.

When technology evolved and upgraded cellulars to smartphones, our social behaviour changed. Everything changed. Since then, our focus became constantly split between our reality — people and events around us — and our virtual world.

Do you remember the last time you left your phone at home? Or the last time you had a conversation that wasn’t interrupted by a text message? When was the last time you watched a movie without looking at your phone?

The answers are not that good, are they? Maybe you are suffering from digital intoxication or you’re getting close to it. I’m not advocating you should go for a digital detox, but to manage wisely the time you spent online.

Moments you should avoid being online:

When you wake up

If the first thing you do when you wake up is looking at your phone, you have a red flag there.

Looking at messages and notifications will trigger some kind of stress or anxiety — either you didn’t receive an answer you needed, or you got a (perceived) negative comment on your last picture. This is not the way you should be starting your day.

In the morning it’s important to have a smooth transition from a sleep state to awake. You need to start by stretching your body, oxygenate it with a few deep breaths. Meditate if it’s part of your routine, have a shower, and then eat your breakfast. Connected merely with yourself. You will have time to know what happened in the virtual world.

You can start this positive habit gradually — check your phone before your shower if you must. But try to increase the time between your awakening and when you check your phone.

Soon you’ll notice your mornings will be more relaxing, enhancing a calm and productive day.

When you are with friends and family

Disconnect from your phone on a social occasion is fundamental to properly relate with people and fully enjoy the moment. That’s why you are there, right?

I found it sad when I see a group of friends sit around the table and each one of them is looking down at their phones. That’s not a group, even less a group of friends hanging out. Where is communication, engaging, learning about each other; where is the connection?

Social media is not real life, we chose what to share (most of us) and mainly we share what makes us look good. It’s personally - face to face-, in confidence with a friend, that we open up, that we seek an give advice. That we are real.

When you’re with your friends and family, set your phone aside and be with them. They are your real life, they should be what matters the most to you.

While you’re travelling

How often you travel somewhere new and spend the time sharing the pictures you’re taking on your social media? And then, because your virtual friends comment, you reply. You are not enjoying your trip, you are collecting material for your virtual world, while your unique experience is happening. That is acceptable if you have a travelling blog or if you’re travelling with commercial purposes. But it’s not so fine if you’re travelling for leisure.

Take a break from your virtual world and enjoy the trip — that’s why you went away, wasn’t it? To have a break from your real life. You took time off, you’re away from family and friends, so why is it so hard to do the same with your social media?

I’m not saying to cut with your virtual life while you’re travelling, only to manage it better. Set a time during the day to do it, maybe in the evening, before dinner, or while drinking coffee after breakfast.

Make unique real memories from your travels, not virtual ones.

While you write

No writer can deny how much phones affect our productivity, especially if we’re already in a procrastination mood.

You have to be disciplined and set a time to check your phone — do it before and after your writing session, never during. Even if it’s just to check your Medium stats or to reply a message, you know perfectly well the moment you pick up the phone, you won’t put it down soon. There’s always something more to do, to google or to respond/react.

Focus on your writing, set times to check the phone and stick to it. If it’s hard for you to resist the notifications, put your phone on the aeroplane or not disturb mode.

There are ways to prevent you from getting distracted by your phone, you just have to want them.

On a date

Seriously: is there anything more frustrating and annoying than going out on a date and the person you’re with keeps checking the phone and engaging with his/her virtual world? How special that makes you feel?

If you’re on a date, make yourself a favour and enjoy it. Get to know the person in front of you. If you’re not having a good time, leave, don’t use your phone as an escape.

Before sleep

If checking your phone when you wake up is bad, doing it before you sleep is no different. The updates, the comments or the news you read have a high probability of causing you anxiety, even if mild.

You want your bedtime to be as smooth and peaceful as possible, and at this time of day, everything you do can affect your sleep quality. Why take a chance of getting upset or agitated before sleep? It’s not like you’re going to do anything about it that moment, so it might as well wait until the next morning (after breakfast, of course).

On your bedtime, engage in a non-virtual activity, like reading a book, meditate or enjoying a mindfulness moment. Take this time to be thankful for the good things that happened during the day (there’s always something), smile to life, it tends to smile you back.

Enjoying your own company is more satisfying than anything happening in a virtual world.

Use your time wisely, you want to look back to your life and realize you actually did things, you met amazing interesting people, that you felt real emotions.

Enjoy your virtual world: learn, laugh, connect. But prioritize your real world, that’s where life happens.