I fell into the technology trap again recently. Reader, I regressed. Lured by the sweeping tide of the Brexit saga, my phone demanded my attention with every BBC News update and every WhatsApp group message. Every high-pitched notification sent my stomach into a spiral. What’s happened now? I’d wonder, as my fingers flew over the screen and a cold creeping dread settled in my gut.
Slowly the little pockets of quiet in my day disappeared. The magic of waking up early and lingering over breakfast, letting my mind wander on the commute to work, people watching in a beer garden as the evening sun sank below the trees leaving pink streaks and marshmallow clouds in its wake. Once again technology had me in its grip and I’d tuned out of real life.
Over a year ago, I was grappling with the pretty baffling symptoms of an undiagnosed health condition. Brain-fogged days dissolved into fitful nights where worries lurked in the shadows of my dreams. My mind and body were gripped by fatigue.
My friend Jen came to the rescue, suggesting a day out to the seaside. It was to be a vintage day out to Llandudno, and she’d planned the works: ice creams on the pier, a trip to the amusement arcades and fish and chips on the Prom. The old Pier bustled with holidaymakers with pink shoulders and tan lines, women in short shorts and men wearing socks with sandals. A man dressed in a pirate outfit with a bird of prey perched on his shoulder strutted passed the stalls selling donuts and buckets and spades.
As I leant against the wrought iron railings with an ice cream in one hand, and my phone in the other, I realised I hadn’t taken one photograph or looked out to sea since we’d arrived. Instead my mind had been a merry-go-round of recurring worries and Twitter feeds, Gmail and WhatsApp groups. I wasn’t taking a break at all. Trying to maintain my online life as well as my real life was evidently unrealistic at this time.
I gave my phone to Jen for the rest of the day and forced myself to tune in to my surroundings, to jump off the merry-go-round. I let myself breathe in the scents of summer: sun cream and candyfloss. I watched the burning orb in the cloudless sky cast dappled light through the trees. I strolled along the Prom that shimmered in the hazy midday sun and ate fish and chips and dodged the dive-bombing seagulls.
On the journey home I downsized my online life. And I know that I can do it again now.
Here are some quick tips for when you need to take a technology break.
Review your social media – mute, unfollow, disengage
Take a look at your social media accounts. Are most of your interactions positive or negative or a mix of both? Ask yourself if another argument with someone you don’t know is the best use of your time? If your timeline is a barrage of negativity that makes your hackles rise every time you log in, then it’s time to weed through your followers.
Your time is precious – say yes to people
Who hasn’t logged in to Twitter with the intention of checking their feed and replying to a few DMs, only to realise that two hours have passed? Most of those trips down the Twitter rabbit hole are a waste of your time. Remember, when we say yes to one thing, we are saying no to another. Say yes to catching up with friends, going for a walk, or discovering a new restaurant instead.
Go for a walk – your mental health will thank you for it
Last year I took on Country Walking Magazine’s ‘Walk 1,000 miles in 2018’ challenge and let me tell you, fresh air and a change of scene had a magical effect on my mood. It doesn’t matter how far or how fast you walk, what’s important is that you move forwards.
Set phone boundaries especially before bed
I used to be useless at this but these days, come bedtime, you won’t find my phone next to my bed – only a few possessions occupy that sacred space: my current read and a notebook and pen.
Small changes like these can help you regain space to notice the little things that make you happy. To tune in to your present. For a while you’ll have major FOMO but this will dissipate. You’ll be spending more time with family and friends, having better quality sleep, powering through your to-do list, taking the dog for another walk, finding ten minutes’ peace for a relaxing bath or maybe allowing yourself to do nothing at all!
The Quiet Place 
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