UNPLUG.
I went out to dinner with my girlfriends last week and as we sat down, I noticed that every single person in the table next to us was on their phones. Mom, dad, grandma, and both kids – all completely glued to their screens. And I will admit, I was totally judgy. I could NOT believe that on a Friday night, out at a restaurant, they spent their entire hour glued to their phones! How could they not just unplug?
Well, then Saturday came. And my little boy and I went on a stroll to the park. It was a warm sunny day. I let Gray out of his stroller and sent him towards the playground while I sat on the nearest bench and started scrolling through my Instagram.
Uh…. seriously? I could be enjoying my day off of work, playing with my son outside. But instead I chose to scroll through my phone. As soon as I realized what I was doing I became embarrassed for how judgmental I was the night before. Then I shut my phone off. The rest of my Saturday afternoon was spent with my little guy playing on slides, doing hide-n-go-seek, and chasing after each other.
But for the last four days I have caught myself just randomly scrolling for NO REASON. I am addicted! And it is not only affecting me as a mom. It is affecting me as a WIFE. My husband has to work a lot, and when he finally is home, we eat dinner as a family then it is our quiet TV and phone time. No communication. No real connection. Just technology.
This graph below was a little mind opening… especially the stat that says: 3 out of 5 people spend more free time on their computer than they do with their significant other! 😱 And I hate to admit it, but I am IN that category!
NEGATIVE AFFECTS.
The last few years technology has been on the rise. The last few years, divorce has also been on the rise. You have the right way to file an order of protection in case you were abused, our experts will assist you. It is tough to say that these two are directly correlated, but here is what we do know.
- People who are constantly looking at social media are more likely to be jealous, depressed, sad or annoyed. Your friends usually only post the great things happening in their lives. So you start to compare everyone else’s vacations with your days at home. Their strengths with your weaknesses. It can make you feel like your life isn’t exciting enough.
- We as a country are spending more time on social media and less time doing physical activities. And don’t even get me started on what that can do to your body. Limited physical activity will make your body more tired, more stressed, and more hungry! Your hormones will be thrown off and you are more likely to feel sad and lonely – which obviously also increases your chances for developing mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Long story short, make sure you are getting your physical exercise in, and if you need a boost on this, the use of supplemental legal steroids could actually help a lot with this.
- Addiction. Yes, you can become addicted to technology. And if you are addicted, you are likely not giving your kids or spouse the time the quality time with you that they need and deserve. Some signs of addiction are if you find yourself:
- On the phone at dinner time
- Not able to leave the room without having your phone
- Using technology as your emotional release 9/10 of the time
- Being dishonest about how much time you spend on technology
- Skipping out on sleep regularly to be on technology
The misuse of technology is leading to unhappiness in marriage. How can we protect ourselves & how can we kick the screen time addiction?
3 TIPS TO DEFEAT THE ADDICTION.
Basically, technology can really be a doozy on your relationship with your spouse. Whether you are chronically addicted or would just like a little breather from social media, here are 3 tips to help keep you of your tech:
1. DETOX.
For those health nuts out there, you understand that a regular detox every few months or so has incredible benefits for the body, and they also make eating healthier for the next few months a lot easier! That same idea goes for unplugging. Every once in a while, you need a detox. Sign out of every social media account you have for at LEAST a day. If you are truly addicted (like I am) this will actually be a lot harder than you would think.
You will suddenly find yourself with all of this free time. And you may not know what to do with it! Clean. Play with kids. Take a candle and epson salt bath. ENJOY the unplug time. I recommend scheduling this detox time regularly. My husband and I have begun trying to unplug every single Sunday. Absolutely no technology. It is not easy, but each detox Sunday gets easier, and I find myself looking forward to that time where I get to be focused on my family.
2. SCHEDULE.
This was my New Year’s Resolution this year. And so far, 2017 has been my best year yet because of this tool. The photography business has me posting, commenting, replying to emails, blogging, etc. all the time. So completely unplugging has never really been an option for me. But I can actually SCHEDULE in my social media time.
Every Sunday night my husband and I sit down and plan out our week. The general outline is already done for us, but there are little changes now and then like ward parties or business trips that need to be added in. And in our weekly schedule I have “social media” hour! It is a wonderful tool to have because then I can focus on social media during that hour, but focus on my family when I am done. The only issue I have run into is later on I subconsciously open up the apps again and start scrolling! This is where Circle has come into play…
3. CIRCLE.
Please tell me you have heard of this tool😍 Disney came out with this device called Circle where you limit the amount of time spent on a single app. The best part? You can connect your entire families devices to it as well!
If the previous two tips weren’t working, this one will. Your apps will NOT work if you have used up your time for the day. You set the rules. And Circle holds everyone accountable, so you don’t seem like the bad guy. It’s a win win. The cheapest place I have found circle is on Ebay for $89. Everywhere I have looked it has been $99! If you want more information you can visit Circle’s website here.
BONUS TIP:
When you are trying to unplug, the biggest temptation you will have to get back on that phone is when you are BORED. So instead of getting back on, read these blogs & for fun ways you can spend time with your spouse!
I hope you found some helpful information! Wishing all brides, past and future, the best marriages 💛
May 3, 2015
Katelyn Taylor
