Social Media unplugging

Inspired by Arianna Huffington’s book Thrive, I decided that whilst on holiday in Languedoc and Provence in 2018, and then again in 2019 whilst in Rome and 2020 in Dittisham, to unplug from all my social media platforms.

More recently, I watched a documentary about Bill Gates and his “think weeks” where he adopted a similar unplugging approach but what I liked mostly was his very untrendy shopping bag full of books !!  So when I’m on annual leave for a few days from 25 June 2021, I thought I might experiment and create my own mini “think weekend”.

The results were so positive that on my return to the UK in 2018 from France, I only engaged with social media for a maximum of 20 minutes or less per day and made a pact with myself to not engage fully in social media activity until July 2018 for predominately business purposes only. Not only did I have significantly more focus, energy and motivation, I felt more creative and innovative too.

When I unplugged in 2020, I also discovered these benefits too:

• Though historically a good sleeper anyhow, I still felt much more energised and less sluggish in a morning
• My personal life admin productivity levels increased
• I was significantly more aware of my surroundings both indoors and outdoors
• My weekly cross country and park runs seemed less strenuous amd more enjoyable
• I was able to read books with heightened focus and speed
• I procrastinated less
• By watching no news and minimal TV and instead listening to music, Radio 4 podcasts and TED talks my mindset seemed more positive and can do
• The lack of usual neck and shoulder aches was evident
• My thinking patterns were mostly positive as I was able to be in the here and now

So next time you take a break, I highly recommend you try social media unplugging too ….

[content_block id=1666]