For 21 days, participants do a small act daily, and share stories and photos with the community. One small step at a time, we change ourselves and the world. We have been participating for the past several days … Today is Day 5. Join us now and let’s complete this technology challenge together … unplug and Live Aloha now.
DAY 1: Take Mindful Screen Breaks
Screens have a way of hijacking our time without our knowledge or conscious consent. When we login to our computers we can get sucked into a digital world and forget to come up for air. The body and mind are revitalized by mindful breaks. Today, whether you are tackling a stream of emails, editing a voluminous document or creating a PowerPoint presentation, make sure to take regular screen breaks. Set an alarm for every hour, and when it rings, make a practice of turning away from your screen for a few minutes. Maybe you’ll do a mindfulness exercise, connect with someone, or reorganize your desk. Perhaps do some deep stretches, or take a quick walk around the block … or a refreshing swim! At the end of the day, notice how your energy and productivity levels are impacted by this simple practice of taking conscious breaks.
DAY 2: Experiment With Single-Tasking
Our waking lives play out on various platforms – we interact with each other in-person, over the phone, on instant messaging, video chats, email and more. Such layers of activity often leave us shuttling between different conversations and contexts. Often times we try and tackle them simultaneously. We eat lunch at our desk, while reading emails. We talk on the phone while driving, and send text messages in the middle of dinner. Multi-tasking has become commonplace in our day-to-day lives. Yet not only does it dilute the quality of our presence, it can often hamper efficiency and compromise our brain’s ability to commit what we are learning to long-term memory. Today, make an effort to do one thing at a time. Eat breakfast at the table. Focus on the road while driving. Have only one internet browser open at a time. Not only will your brain breathe a sigh of relief, but your productivity may receive a boost from your efforts!
DAY 3: Enjoy a device-free meal.
“In our fast-forward culture, we have lost the art of eating well.” — Carl Honore
Enjoy A Device-Free Meal – In January of this year, Twitter released an analysis of tweets made during the last week of December, examining the phrases most linked with “New Year’s resolutions.” Alongside “workout” and “quit smoking” came the phrase “unplug.” Many of us have the desire to healthily separate ourselves from our devices and social media platforms. But we need that extra nudge to make it happen. For inspiration, consider this whimsical equation, and its ring of truth: Constant use of digital devices + dining = digital indigestion. Today, try to eat at least one meal with your family, friends or colleagues, with every nearby appliance, including the TV on the wall, turned off. Practice being fully present and tuned in to the meal, the conversation, and the people you might be with. Notice how the quality of attention you bring to the table enhances your experience.
DAY 4: Pay Attention To Your Posture.
“A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind.” — Morihei Ueshiba
Pay Attention To Your Posture – Whether our minds are deep in inbox-response mode, single-pointedly typing away a looming deadline, or attentively laying out colors for a new graphic, it’s easy to forget about our bodies. Until hours, days, or weeks later, when a wrist starts to throb or a spot on the back aches or our neck stiffens and we wonder why. Our posture during the many hours spent on our devices, has a tremendous impact on the wellbeing of our muscles, joints and long-term physical health. Today, tune into your posture. Are your eyes resting comfortably on the screen, or is your neck craning up or down? Do your elbows fall naturally by your side as you type on the keyboard, or are they strained at an angle with your shoulders hunched up? A simple adjustment, like placing your monitor or laptop on top of a book, tilting your keyboard on a slanted platform, or adjusting the height of your chair can make a world of difference.
DAY 5 ~ Create A Gadget-Free Zone!
“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” — Hans Hofmann
Create A Gadget-Free Zone – When Steve Jobs was asked if his children loved the iPad, he replied, “They haven’t used it. We limit how much technology our kids use it at home.” The creators of our most popular devices are aware of the dangers that come with them. Take a cue from Jobs today. Set aside a gadget-free zone at home. Maybe it’s the dining room, family room or your bedroom. Setting these intentional boundaries will have an effect not just on you, but all those you share your space with. Whether parents, partners or children, the people we live alongside are often our greatest mirrors. Our own mindfulness with gadgets and attentive presence can ripple out in profound and wonderful ways to those we care about.
Join us tomorrow and let’s take back control and give technology a definite, but more limited place in our lives. Mālama kekahi ī kekahi … Let’s take care of each other, today and always. Aloha!
Hālau 'Aha Hui Lānākila 