How to Balance Online Time With Life
By Sandy Schroeder
We are all aware when we spend too much time online. Itchy eyes, aching shoulders, and muddled thought tell us we have been glued to our screens too long.
If you work, play and relax online, you may have created a groove that emerged in the last year as we all dealt with the pandemic. That routine helped us get daily work done, stay in touch with friends and family and amuse ourselves when we needed to relax, but it may have also created more stress.
Routines that keep us seated at work, in our cars or on the couch in the evening can add weight and subtract meaning from our lives.
Real Simple reminds us moderation is important in everything. Becoming too attached to a screen can affect our ability to deal with the rest of the world.
When the garbage disposal stops working, the dog won't stop barking, and there is work to finish, hopping online can be a tempting escape. If you can relate, you may want to consider some ways to modify your online approach.
Watch for Clues and Take Steps
When time spins ahead and you know you need to take a break from screens, take some simple steps.
Create something new:
- Cook or bake something delicious
- Quilt, knit or sew something new
- Sketch, doodle or paint
Explore new things:
- Visit the library or your favorite bookstore
- Take a community class
- Learn to play an instrument
Get outside to get away:
- Go for a nature hike with your kids
- Bike to the park for a picnic
- Cook supper and dine on the patio
Spend time with your kids:
- Shoot hoops or kick a soccer ball
- Teach them a new sport
- Help the redo their room
Reach out to help someone:
- Visit your local animal shelter
- Visit an elderly neighbor
- Volunteer at your local hospital
Activate your weekends:
- Find some new bike paths to explore
- Plant a new garden full of fruit or flowers
- Camp out for the weekend
- Take a wilderness hike
Rethink Your Home:
- Add some exercise equipment
- Clean out the garage
- Redo the kitchen
- Create a family meeting spot
We will all need time online, but whatever breaks we take might make us appreciate both worlds. When we establish a healthy balance, we can benefit from both. Watch for signs of too much online time and realign them.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Atlanta, Ga.