Reclaim your tech-life balance
Practice wellness by setting digital boundaries
By Raine Raynor
Imagine your perfect Maine day. It may involve long sunny afternoons at the beach, exploring vibrant downtowns or a quiet evening by the lake.
You’re probably not envisioning scrolling on social media, playing phone games or checking your email…although let’s be real, that’s what many of us find ourselves doing in our free time.
Building a healthier relationship with technology doesn’t mean cutting it out of your life altogether. Phones and the internet have many beneficial uses and are likely indispensable to your life and work. Excessive use, however, can lead to issues including addiction, reduced attention span, disrupted sleep, depression and anxiety. If the time you spend on a screen is not contributing positively to your life and you want to cut down, here are some suggestions to help you rethink your relationship with technology.
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How many times have you opened your phone for one quick thing and found yourself later wondering where that time went? Constantly checking emails, texts and social media can contribute to elevated stress levels and disengage you from the present.
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Apps are constantly vying for attention. Visit your device settings to turn off, delay, or reduce the frequency of push notifications from apps that don’t require your immediate attention. You can also schedule periods when your phone will be automatically silenced, like overnight. Some apps, like social media, allow you to customize which types of notifications you receive.
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You may find your inbox flooded with newsletters you no longer read. Remember, you can always resubscribe if you miss them.
How to unsubscribe: Most emails will have a small link to unsubscribe in their footer. You can usually opt out of texts by replying with STOP.
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Depending on your job's responsibilities, consider logging out of your work-related accounts like email, Slack, Teams and Zoom on your personal phone.
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Think about the many functions your smartphone serves and whether their analog equivalents would be a better fit! A watch tells the time minus the distractions. An alarm clock wakes you up without the temptation of scrolling in bed. Flipping through a magazine at the beach, picking up a book from your local library, dancing to a record, or playing board games can be more engaging than the digital equivalents.
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Once you’re on your phone, it can be easy to fall into muscle memory opening your favorite apps. Regularly review what’s on your phone and delete apps you no longer need or want to use.
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If social media is hard to resist, try logging out on your phone and using the desktop version instead—this extra step can help you be more conscientious with the time you spend browsing.
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Screen time limits, also accessible from device settings, can keep you accountable if you find yourself in need of a firmer hand. If you want to make it a challenge, try a Screen Free Week with your family.
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Finally, take time to enjoy life offline! Get creative with a new hobby or find something you love doing outside. Create a space in your home that’s a respite from digital devices, whether that means removing your television and charger from your bedroom or setting up a cozy reading nook. Put together a stack of books and magazines that you’re excited to read. Reducing your screen time is only one part of building a happy and healthy life. Get out there and enjoy!
On the cover: Sebago Lake is a giant among Maine’s lakes and the deepest, too. With coves and forested inlets and opportunities to sail, angle, swim and camp, the lakes region is a favorite for summer adventures.