I had a previous life.
Before becoming a full-time fitness and wellness coach, I worked for a computing solutions company. Because we had a small staff and a lot of clients, I had to wear many different hats — one of which was “computer repair guy.”
I’ve been out of the industry long enough that the secret handshake has changed, so I’ll let you in on a little computer repair person insider info: We often don’t know the answer to your problem.
Sometimes we’re just as stymied as you. Sometimes the only idea we’ve got right now is “have you tried unplugging it?” And sometimes we’re as surprised as you are when that actually works.
Computers can, from time to time, be frustratingly unpredictable. In fact, I’m convinced that the “gremlins” invented by World War 2 pilots to explain aircraft malfunctions aren’t just mythical. And if not gremlins, then maybe computers get overworked and overtired and need a break? Unplugging gives the computer a breather — the opportunity to rest and reset.
Just like people.
Even the most well-adjusted people can feel overworked, exhausted, and stressed: no longer productive and focused, but glitchy and cranky. Unpredictable and full of errors. In need of a reset.
Just like your body needs time to recover from a hard workout, your mind and spirit need recovery time. So have you tried unplugging and plugging back in?
Unplug from screens. Modern culture makes it tough to completely get away from screens, in ways we often don’t realize. One study showed that the average smartphone user checks their screen 150 times per day — twice as often as they think they do.
Night-time exposure to blue light — the kind emitted by electronics — increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and stress. It interferes with sleep rhythms, making it harder to fall asleep, reducing the quality and duration of the sleep you do get, and keeping you tired during the day.
So how do we break the cycle and disconnect from tech? Getting phones out of your sleeping space is a start. Move the phone charger somewhere else in your home, and put a book you’ve been meaning to read on your nightstand instead.
Try an app on your phone or tablet that tracks your screen time. Some even allow you to set time limits for social media, games, or news websites (stop doom-scrolling the news all night!)
Make it harder to veg in front of the TV by making TV harder to watch: take the batteries out of the remote and keep them in a kitchen drawer, then move the battery-less remote off the coffee table where it’s out of sight and requires some effort to get to. Then fill the empty spot on your coffee table with a deck of cards, a magazine, or a photo album (remember photo albums?)
Plug back in to your environment. Spend time looking at the “actual” world! “Green therapy” or “natural therapy” — time spent outside in nature — is important for our mental health.
A 2020 study found that people who frequented outdoor natural spaces (parks, gardens, etc) showed lower levels of “COVID lockdown” stress than those who did not. Other studies also show simply being outside reduces anxiety, stress, depression and “stinkin’ thinkin’.”
Not into gardening? That’s OK — “natural therapy” includes any outdoor activity. Try rafting, hiking, picnics, or other activities in green spaces (running, walking, cycling, etc). “Natural therapy” can also be time spent with animals in open spaces like farms — whether that’s formal “animal therapy,” or simply feeding, petting, and caring for animals.
Did you know animal therapy is available for individuals with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities as nearby as Slinger? Check out the nonprofit Cedar Springs Ranch at www.csranch.org for info on the programs they offer.
Stress has a host of negative health effects that make our minds and bodies glitch out. You can help offset many of those effects with a reset: unplug, and plug back in. While this might take some planning and effort at first, consistent practice will help those periodic resets to become habit.
Remember that we don’t decide our future — we decide our habits, and our habits determine our future.