The Art of Disconnecting

Do you sometimes feel spread thin, burnt out, or overwhelmed by the amount of things on your mind? Have you ever been lying awake at night thinking about your professional or personal obligations? Have you felt restless and under-stimulated to the point you overindulge in self-destructive behaviors? If so, you’re not alone in experiencing the symptoms of overstimulation, burnout, and chronic connectivity. Most people have had a point where they have struggled to step away and maintain their inner peace, especially in today’s world. 

A major contributor to this feeling is how online we are today. It’s one thing to have access to a wealth of information and entertainment at your fingertips, but it’s another to feel the need to engage with it at all hours of the day. Social media has become such a huge factor in everyday life that it can often mean there are no options to unplug without suffering from major FOMO (fear of missing out). This situation can end up leading to fatigue over time and is known to have negative effects on one’s mental health.

So, how can we disconnect in a healthy way that doesn't leave us out of touch? That’s the goal: we want to make the most of the information age without letting it consume us. Disconnecting takes a good deal of practice and mindfulness, but you can employ many actionable tips to make the transition easier- and that’s what we will discuss in this week's blog.

First off, it’s important to understand why constant information exposure can be negative for us. Attention is a resource, and though we are incredibly capable, there is a limit to what we can handle and process effectively. That being said, when you go over the limit of what your mind can effectively process, you stop processing as well. When you are overstimulated you may be less effective at work, have trouble with comprehension, experience confusion, have delays in making decisions, experience anxiety or depression, have trouble sleeping, and more. More and more people have experienced these symptoms in recent years, and as information dissemination becomes more common, it’s hard not to look at our media consumption habits as a potential cause. Smartphone usage has surged from roughly 40% to over 90% in the last ten years; meaning almost every adult will be exposed to some form of content, social media, or advertising throughout their day. We also are making more use of the tech we have, as the average American adult spends upwards of seven hours a day online in some way, while teens spend around nine.

Another reason why burnout might be so common is because of the work-from-home movement that became prevalent during the pandemic. Many employees are expected to stay online for the majority of their workday and with other social media so close, the temptation may have also driven up multiple app usage. Working in your home also leads to a blurring of the work-life balance, which may leave people struggling to disconnect from work once they clock out further fueling burnout. This phenomenon also expands to social obligations. When your friends and family can reach out to you at any time it can feel all the more difficult to carve out “me” time where you don’t have to check for notifications or take time out to talk.

However you look at it, most of us are chronically connected. This is the problem, but what we want to focus on is the solution: How can we begin to step back and manage our relationship with technology? How can we stave off some of the effects of overstimulation and begin to heal our attention spans to make space for the things in life that matter? This is where those actionable tips I mentioned earlier come in.

·      Starting with phone hacks to keep you from engaging in doom-scrolling or compulsive checking. Putting your phone on “do not disturb” can work wonders. Try silencing notifications for an hour or two during the day and at night, if possible. Constant notifications encourage us to interact with our phones- however, removing that reminder can give us the extra push we need to stay off.

·      Consider uninstalling certain apps or blocking websites if you feel that you over-engage with them. You can always reinstall if you need to, but it will at least discourage you from mindlessly scrolling when you could be engaging with others or focusing on other things. Speaking of mindless scrolling from content apps like TikTok, Facebook reels or YouTube shorts might be some of the worst offenders. If you want to bring down your screen time uninstalling these apps and kicking your video-binging habits might be a good place to begin.

·      Many of us wind down at night by watching videos however, this can disrupt our sleep pattern or even keep us from going to bed. To get a good night's sleep, it’s better to put your phone on airplane mode and set it away from your bed to stop yourself from getting sucked in. If you feel you need something to do before bed, reading a book or journaling are healthier replacements.

·      Speaking of healthy replacements, it’s equally as important to add good habits to your routine as it is to remove bad ones. Getting involved with activities that don’t pair well with your phone will give you an excuse to be offline. This can be something highly social, or mentally involved, but it can also be something as simple as riding a bike or walking around a new place.

·      If you experience FOMO being offline, making a point to address this healthily can be the key to kicking compulsions. If you care about news, finding a good concise outlet that you limit your access to can be helpful. If you want to keep up with your friends, making a point to reach out to them intentionally to ask them about what’s been happening can discourage you from checking their social media updates. If you are worried about work obligations, communicating well with your superiors and coworkers before you have offline hours can help assuage some anxiety.

·      Most importantly, developing a sense of perspective is an invaluable tool. It may take conscious effort to recognize that the online world is only as important as you make it however, it’s well worth the peace of mind. Trends, funny videos, and interactions will come and go but what is important is to have gratitude for what you DO experience and recognize that experiencing everything isn’t the only path to satisfaction. Your real life matters too. Taking the time to nourish yourself, doing the things you enjoy, and realizing you are worth more is a path worth walking.

·      The final piece of advice I have for you is to be present in your own life. Many of us go online in hopes of experiencing something scandalous, interesting, or otherwise stimulating however, the truth is that we don’t need to go online to have that experience. Trying your best to be present, mentally invested, and engaged in the things you do day-to-day can be incredibly fulfilling.

We’ve talked about being present in your body in past articles, but it’s especially important when talking about overstimulation. Tapping into your body and mind’s cues that you need some time away can be crucial in motivating yourself to make changes to your media consumption habits. Ultimately, there can be a lot of guilt or anxiety associated with stepping away, but you must remember that it’s your life and you get to decide what is best for you. No one enjoys the feeling of burnout or the frustration of not being at your peak because of preoccupation. Disconnecting from social media, work, and social obligations is crucial to the mental health of adults and teens today. If you struggle with the side effects of overexposure, remember that there are plenty of ways to get a bit of relief from the burden of chronic connectivity. With time and effort, you can find a healthier balance that will make you feel more at peace in your day-to-day affairs.