Joinsupermoms

Do you need a break? From what?

Your electronic devices. Impossible, right? Particularly if you have to monitor your kids on a regular, unplugging daily from your devices might seem like mission impossible.

But this is one break every single-parent needs to take on a daily.

Taking a tech break comes with more health benefits than you can imagine. The secret is in starting with short breaks and extending them as you get more organised and comfortable.

You should also choose a time of day when your attention is least needed. And don’t tell me your attention is always needed.

A daily break from your devices does not need to last the whole day. It just needs to be planned and regular.

Here’s why unplugging daily from your devices could save your life.

You Reduce Your Exposure to Harmful Elements

Mobile phones, laptops, tablets…you name it. Al devices transmit a certain level of radiation. Particularly as they start to age, the levels of radiation increase and become more harmful.

Studies have shown that certain activities, like charging, increase your risk of exposure and use of your devices should be curbed at those times.

So, one time of day you could try unplugging from your devices is when you charge your phone. Seize the opportunity to get away from larger devices too.

You Protect Your Eyes from Harmful Lights

Even when you work on your laptop for extended hours, try to look away from the screen at regular intervals.

Especially avoid the screen within 30 minutes of bed time, to enhance your sleep.

And that’s a clue to another time of day you could unplug from your devices. Bed time: Kids tucked in, lights out, devices off.

You Enhance Your Relationships

Especially your relationship with your kids. When they want to talk, play or just lounge, it’s a good time to ditch the devices and just fully be in the moment with them.

It might not last long, but make it a time to be undistracted and unconcerned about what’s happening online.

You Reduce Your Anxiety

Let’s face it. The internet, phone notifications, breaking news, applications, social media and work colleagues can be overwhelming with updates and information.

Sometimes, the anticipation of just waiting for what might be happening causes a pointless anxiety of its own. Pointless because there’s nothing your anxiety can change about a situation.

So, how do you plan a period of unplugging from your devices?

Prepare Your Mind

If you have put the right processes in place, be humble in recognising that you can’t control everything. Somethings are simply beyond you.

It’s like getting on a plane. After take off, it’s out of your hands now, and you do have to switch off or switch to airplane mode 😔

Understand that in making certain decisions, we choose to let go of some controls. Like in choosing to have a baby.

When I chose to have a child, I chose to allow certain things out of my control. Like the fact that even when I was a stay-at-home parent, I simply couldn’t be there 24 hours of the day. At times I would have to sleep, I would have to clean and I would have to take care of my health and our meals.

Humbly accept that at those times, you let go a little bit and must trust someone or something else to help you.

As with choosing an airline with a reliable track record and professional pilots, choose a support system you can trust, and really, in those necessity moments, unplug from your devices.

Keep it Short

The goal is unplugging daily from your devices, so you’ll need to make it regular rather than once in a blue moon.

You don’t want to be out of reach for hours on end, especially if your child is a minor. Times when you can’t be reached for hours or days should be kept to a minimum when you plan a vacation and you’ve made alternative childcare arrangements.

So find times of day to unplug that you are least likely to be needed, or when you’re with the kids, friends a partner, or an activity you love. Force yourself not to look at any screens and just focus on the person or moment you are in.

Plan

This is like one of those out-of-office emails. Be sure to put alternatives to you in place. It could be a contact person or electronic or even AI solutions to problems you might otherwise be required to solve.

Plan to unplug for a specific time and be back when you say you will be. Let loved ones know you’re okay and where to find you in case they absolutely need to or if you’re not back when you say you will be.

In the end, no one is indispensable. And unfortunately, the truth is neither are single parents. Life is so delicate that even now, we must make every day count.

Life is so delicate that even now, we must make every day count

We must strive to take a break from our devices. Indeed, anything that adds to our anxiety or jeopardizes our health and our relationships. Devices tick all those boxes.

It really does help to plan to take short daily breaks from them.