It has been said that social media and excessive Internet use is Generation X’s drug of choice. Ever feel so overwhelmed you find it hard to think? I can relate. That is exactly how I feel now and that is likely because I am blogging as I work on my research paper, tweet, search for the appropriate GIF on Groupme, and watch Ice Bucket challenge videos on Facebook, to name a few.
We get so used to multi-tasking, we fail to realize how much we are doing. We may be millennials but we are still humans. We need a break. We need to unplug.
Research has shown the importance, from a health perspective, of mentally distancing yourself from communication technologies. Studies have proven that multitasking – for example, uploading an Instagram post with one hand while you finish your economics homework with another– is an ineffective way to get jobs done. Not to mention excessive Internet use leads to sleep disorders and depression.
So why do many college students work in this manner? To avoid the pitfall of excessive use and consumption, I have decided to take a digital fast. For this week, I will fast from social media and minimize my use of the Internet down to schoolwork and email.
It is necessary to disconnect to reconnect. We spend so much time keeping up our social media image and presence that our presence in our daily lives is lack luster. We need to focus on connecting with those we love and the people right in front of us. Numerous college students are missing all of the beauty, learning and opportunity right in our environment.
Social media and the Internet provide ease and communication…and distractions. With our phones always buzzing next to us, and the constant reminders of what others are achieving and experiencing, it is so easy to lose focus. Sporadic unplugging can help improve focus.
The addiction to social media is waning the quality of our lives. Consider all the time you spend cemented to your phone and all the time you spend staring at a computer screen. Remove the devices, even for a few days. Reclaim your time. Each time you unplug, you create an opportunity to relax, re-focus or reconnect with real-life conversations and experiences.