For those who live connected, disconnecting and spending a few hours offline can be a very difficult task, but it is increasingly necessary in our digital age. Have you ever stopped to calculate how much time you spend using your cell phone or computer on social media daily?
Recently, Instagram made an update called “Your activity”, which shows the average time that the user spends browsing the social network. If we add all the social networks, emails, communicators like Whatsapp, Messenger and others, you will see that you spend more time online than offline.
A daily digital rest is urgent for those surrounded by technology . The routine with technology has made people less sensitive. Unfortunately, we no longer notice the people and their needs by our side. To think, how many times have you passed by someone you know and failed to greet you, because you were with your head down, typing on your cell phone?
Illustrative photo: Bruno Marques / cancaonova.com
Dependency “nomophobia”
A recent study by the Pew Research Center showed that 46% of the population says they cannot live without their cell phone with internet access . Dependence on the device, used less to make calls than to read news, interact on social media, play games and watch videos, has even won a name: nomophobia, that is, the fear of being away from the device.
“Our smartphones have become a tool that provides quick and immediate satisfaction. Our neurons respond to this immediately, releasing dopamine. Over time, this increases our desire for quick feedback and immediate satisfaction. This process also contributes to the development of shorter attention spans, and makes people more prone to boredom, ”explains Isaac Vaghefi, a professor at New York University, who researched nomophobia among 182 college students.
Practical attitudes
We live in the digital age, which makes it impossible not to take advantage of technology for the various activities we carry out, whether at work or for personal use, however, balance is necessary for everything .
Before you start reading the Facebook and Instagram feed, think about how many chapters of a good physical book you could read in an hour! When participating in a meeting, try to put your phone in airplane mode, thus preventing notifications from taking away your attention and that of the meeting participants during an important presentation. A walk through nature helps to rest your mind and reflect on the meaning of life.
When we don’t stop to meditate before making decisions, we end up making the wrong decisions. When spending time on the internet with unnecessary realities, it is as if we used the money to buy something without thinking. It is always necessary to stop and analyze each action.
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Navigating with balance
We don’t need to stop using the technologies, however, we need to use them in a balanced way, without harming relationships and mental health. The digital environment is a space where users can create lasting bonds of friendships, as stated by Pope Benedict XVI .
“These spaces, when well and evenly valued, contribute to favoring forms of dialogue and debate that, if carried out with respect and care for privacy, with responsibility and commitment to the truth, can reinforce the bonds of unity between people and effectively promote harmony of the human family . The exchange of information can become a real communication, the contacts can mature in friendship, the connections can facilitate communion . If social networks are called to realize this great potential, the people who participate in them must strive to be authentic, because, in these spaces, not only are ideas and information shared, but, ultimately, the person communicates to you same ”.
