Do you remember the days when you took a road trip and you had to actually look at the sights? Or sitting at the dinner table and having to actually talk to one another? Do you remember what it feels like to sit by the ocean and not reach for your phone? With an increase in accessibility to technology our lives are now filled with a constant need to fill a void, but what is that void? As we reach yet again to scroll through our phones and keep tabs on everything happening in our lives and those around us, we wonder why anxiety is at an all time high. Slowing down seems like the contradiction, but how does one really live a simpler, slower life in a technology driven world? These are a few of my tips to help. However, mindfulness is critical to make these a part of your routine if you seek improvement.
Tip 1: Chew, Chew, Chew
I know this one may sound kind of strange, but as a dietitian I can’t tell you how much I say this one. Not only will actually taking the time to focus on chewing your food slow you down, but it will also help with gauging anxiety. Win Win! I recommend chewing each bite a minimum of 20 times. This will for sure slow down your meal time and while you are taking time to actually really chew your food set that phone aside and take some time to enjoy your meal. Maybe it is a sunny day, maybe you are at lunch with some coworkers, or just at the dinner table with your family since you hopefully won’t be racing through a 15 minute meal use this time to connect with yourself or those around you. This is a great opportunity to slow down as we all need to eat. Another bonus: Your digestive tract will thank you for the additional breakdown of your food. So chew away!
Tip 2: Get outdoors
Studies have shown that going to a park and walking around for 30 min will provide both mental and physical benefits. Yes, just 30 minutes a day with Mother Nature. Nature and nature sounds have been linked to relaxation and stress relief. In addition, the sunshine will help to increase your Vitamin D which is critical to reduce inflammation and promote a happy mood. So how do you slow down when outside?! Look around you…. Really look around you. Listen to the birds, watch the grass blow in the wind, smell some flowers. Take some time to not only breathe deep but also soak up that Vitamin D rich sun. I have a friend who forces herself to write in her journal outside. Some days she may just sketch while others she may purge her thoughts on paper. By doing this outside she is getting the relaxing benefits of nature to clear her mind as well.
Tip 3: Explore a hobby
Your free time is special and important. Outside of work and your usual obligations, you can dedicate yourself to something that brings you joy and meaning. Hobbies come in all forms. They might be creative, physical, or relaxing.
What separates a hobby from just doing something, like binging on a tv series, is your level of engagement. Here’s a good rule of thumb:
If you find yourself looking at your phone instead of concentrating on the activity, it’s not a hobby. It’s a distraction from not doing anything.
That sums up how hobbies can slow one down and distract from the fast paced techie world. Take some time to explore things you are passionate about. Maybe it is playing a sport, doing a project, or dabbling in music. It should be something that you enjoy as well as makes your mind want to focus and learn more.
For me I love photography. I find I really slow down when I do it because I am paying attention to the details. There is no way I can be on my phone and taking pictures as I am too focused on not missing the perfect moment. I truly enjoy it and am always striving to be better at it.
Hobbies have also been proven to help with mental health. Not only do they stimulate learning, but they also help take the focus off of the day to day chaos and focus on something entirely different.
Tip 4: Try to only do one thing at a time
Multitasking can be a great skill, however, I have found that people who only focus on one thing at a time seem to have less stress. Moms, I think you know the overwhelming feeling of racing home from work to get dinner on the table before rushing your kids off to numerous activities all over town. However, if you took a little more time to focus on just one thing versus trying to master all of the above at the same time I think you would not only feel like you did a better job, but you would enjoy it more as well.
How does someone do this? Unfortunately, we are all going to have to use our powers of multitasking, but if you can take a little time on your weekends to do some planning ahead, such as prepping meals for the first few days of the week, or deciding to limit the number of activities in which your child participates. Sports and activities have become all consuming. Are you and your family even enjoying the number of things they are taking on? Maybe it is time to find a balance. Slowing down and focusing on the present moment and not trying to fast forward to the other million things you have to do can really help reduce stress.
Tip 5: Have a real conversation
I can’t say this one enough. Have a real conversation face to face with another person and put your darn phone away. Talking with others is truly critical to ones mental health and overall emotional balance. This doesn’t mean you have to drop all your drama and have a heavy discussion. Laugh, smile, and truly listen. When was the last time you really listened to someone else without getting distracted? IF you were able to carve out one on one time with someone, take advantage of it! Avoid checking your phone every 2 minutes and have a real conversation.
These are 5 quick and easy things that have helped me unplug and live a simpler life. There are so many more things you can do to make this happen and lots of literature on slowing down. I love these because, lets face it, most of the time we are going to continue going going going, but I can easily remind myself to do these 5 things from time to time and I hope you can too.
XOXO, Rana
