You've waited all year for this moment, and the holidays are finally here! You start packing your suitcase, excited at the thought of switching off from the daily routine for a few days. But then you get to the beach and realise it's not that easy: your mind is still at the office, wondering whether everything will be fine or thinking about the tasks you'll have to deal with when you get back.
Not being able to switch off affects our physical and mental health: if we don't let our minds rest, it can take a toll on our immune system and mental wellbeing, making us more vulnerable to physical illness and mental health problems.
What's more, our phones, and social media in particular, don't help at all: they are a constant source of news and updates that continually bombard our minds with stressful information. And as we all know only too well, it has been shown that switching off from technology and work during the holidays considerably improves employees' performance. So here are 5 ideas to help you switch off from the digital world this summer:
Turn off your phone's internet: if someone has something urgent to tell you, they'll call
Another option is to turn off mobile data, so your phone works just as it did a few years ago: you'll receive calls, but no WhatsApps. That way you only deal with what is urgent and essential, without feeling completely cut off.
2. Set yourself a daily time slot for checking your phone
As if it were working hours, set aside one hour a day to check and reply to important messages, and switch your phone off for the rest of the day. You'll see that everything goes much better and you won't have to be on alert all day long.
3. Turn off all notifications
Seeing an alert every minute about what's new on social media, email… It doesn't let us relax. Within each app you can configure the type of notification: we recommend removing them all, so you only see alerts when you open the app, greatly reducing the mental load of constantly seeing the screen light up with updates
4. Read a paper book
If you find it hard to tear yourself away from screens and you're one of those people who constantly checks social media without thinking, buy a good novel and read it every time you're tempted to look at your phone. Its story will hook you, draw you into its world and make you forget about everything else for a while. If you spend the same hours on it that you were spending on social media, you might need more than one book to get through the summer!
5. Do outdoor activities
Being active, on the move and in touch with nature will help reduce the urge to check your phone every minute.
This summer we invite you to switch off and lower your anxiety levels by applying these 5 ideas, which are sure to help you enjoy yourself and return to the office with renewed energy.
The acrōnim team wishes you a great holiday!
