There is something very unnatural with the cultural obsession to have to be connected 24/7. Whether texting buddies while out on a date, IM’ing during the work day, or walking down the street with cell phone glued to the ear, people have been suckered into the belief that being reachable and connected all the time is normal and healthy.
If asked, very few people would say, “You know, I have just too little going on in my life. I really need more stuff to pack into my waking hours.” Most people are in a state of auto-complain about the fact (or fiction) that they have too little time and waaaaay too much to do. They are busy. Oh, so very busy.
But, busy doing what?
They are busy, either directly or indirectly, connecting with other people to answer questions, ask questions, go to or come from meetings, get ready, make arrangements, cancel arrangements, plan to go, go to plan, write, erase, talk, listen, make, fake, or bake, or pack 10 lbs. of stuff into a 6 lb. bag. While time spent with others, most of the time, is fulfilling and fundamental to wellness as social beings, the connection overdose is hazardous to one’s health.
The cultural drive to be connected is one of the root of causes of mental and emotional distress.
What do stress reduction experts — yes, there are such people – always put in the “top three” list to relax and settle down? Be alone. Yes, disconnect from people and just spend some time with yourself. These experts know the importance of being alone and taking time to listen to music without a purpose or deadline, watch a funny movie without critique, spend some quality time in meditation or prayer, read a fantastic book that will absorb you and take you to another place and time, or go for a long slow walk allowing you to settle into yourself.
What has interrupted the Saturday afternoons spent sitting on the front porch enjoying a cold glass of fresh-squeezed lemonade? The cell phone, of course.
Do your mind, body and spirit a big favor – disconnect.
S² Tip
Make time everyday to turn off all technological forms of connection and just “be”.
In Another’s Words…
“As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.”
– Henry David Thoreau, Author, Philosopher
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Stress Management: How to Reduce, Prevent, and Cope with Stress
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Relaxation techniques: Learn ways to reduce your stress
