Have You Enjoyed A Technology Detox Yet?

Have-You-Enjoyed-A-Technology-Detox-Yet
As a therapist, I am concerned with the moments people miss out on when using technology excessively. Ever wonder how this affects your brain health, mental health and overall physical health? There is less time spent practicing how to live life, less time practicing important life skills, less time socializing face- to-face and connecting with loved ones, less time moving and getting exercise, less time spent on important academic, career, social, and life goals! As a result our society faces a tremendous increase in anxiety, social anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and self-esteem issues. People lose out on the opportunity to build their confidence through practice. As self-esteem plummets people are less likely to try new things, meet new people and strive towards their goals. It becomes harder and harder to focus on the tasks and responsibilities of everyday life. Kids have a harder time focusing in school, following rules and making friends, and adults struggle to keep up with house chores, paying bills and job responsibilities. I think you get the picture.
To help you find balance in your life consider the following suggestions:
Look At The Whole Picture. Let us use Brain Fit Life (BFL) as a great example. Spending some time using Brain Fit Life daily allows you to connect with a community, train your brain, practice relaxation and learn about your brain health. Is BFL helping you with your goal to be a brain healthy individual? Yes! Now does that mean you should spend 12 hours a day using it? No. Yes you would be doing some good things for brain health during this time, but you would be missing out on other important brain healthy habits such as face-to-face interaction, sleep, or simply enjoying a beautiful day. There has to be balance, and to find balance you need to ask yourself how technology helps you, while also examining what you are missing out on when using technology too much. Would you be exercising, connecting with your family, socializing with peers, getting more sleep, preparing healthier meals, doing yoga or perhaps watching a movie with your friends or family…?
Many people talk about finding balance between the extremes, but then find it difficult to determine what defines balance and how to actually implement it into everyday life. My family is a work in progress, and we aren’t perfect, but my husband and I have found that the following tips help us positively manage the technology balance in our home.
Try these tips to enjoy the benefit of a technology detox:
  • Define What Matters To You Most: In 20, 30, 40 years how do you want to look back on your life? What matters to you most? Use this as a road map to determine what balance means to you. Ask yourself, what would you and your family be missing if they completely eliminated technology? AND, what are you not doing when using technology?
  • As a mom, you want your kids to be technology savvy, to have access to different opportunities and tools for learning. So, you may decide, for example, you will allow a certain amount of learning games on the iPad each week. The same goes for us adults; we want to be up on the latest apps, tools, programs etc., but at what cost to our health.
  • Setting Limits: How Much Is Too Much? There are different opinions out there. At Amen Clinics, we prefer that people do not spend more than an average of 30 minutes a day engaging with television, technology and/or video games. Some professionals suggest no more than one to two hours a day for children. Consider finding a balance that works for you. For instance you might try eliminating television on weekdays.   For most people, there really isn’t time during the week anyway.
  • No Phones, Tablets or Electronic Devices at the Dinner Table: You miss out on so many amazing opportunities to connect as friends, family and partners when your eyes are glued to a screen. This tip applies to kids and adults, alike.
  • No Technology before Homework and Important Chores: This is a more kid specific tip because playing video games increases dopamine in the brain and increase focus and pleasure receptors while playing. Some may ask, well what is so bad about that? The problem is, this means there is less dopamine available in the brain to help focus on the more mundane tasks such as homework. This is especially problematic for children and adults with ADHD.
  • No Technology before Bed: Unplug 1-2 hours before bed, otherwise the light from your screen and stimulation from what you are viewing can interfere with your sleep cycle.

These tips help me notice how there is more time for exercise, more time for sleep, more time to play games and have dance parties with your kids, and overall more time to enjoy life! How wonderful that you gain more time to do the things that really matter to you in the long run, that helps you to be the person you want to be.

By Haley Figueroa, MA, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Brain Health Coach