TIME TO UNPLUG

I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE HOW LONG I SIT AT MY DESK STARING AT A SCREEN DURING MY WORK DAY.

I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M BACK TO MAKING TO-DO LISTS: lining up future jobs and busily crossing things off as each day seems to get busier and busier. I have to say, I much prefer that relaxed holiday feeling when you actually forget what day of the week it is; where your brain seems to slow down so much that sometimes you struggle to use the right word in conversation.

Back at work, it’s incredible how fast I’ve adapted to being back ‘on’. It has been great seeing everyone again and we have many exciting things planned for the year ahead, but I was so relaxed on my return I had actually forgotten some of my daily tasks. I still can’t believe how long I sit at my desk staring at a screen during my work day. That was my biggest realisation coming back to the office.

Also, do you ever go to bed and begin to relax, only to suddenly remember everything you were supposed to do that day? Or, just as you are about to sit down and do something, you reach for your phone to scroll through another job you just had to complete, another email to read or another text to send? I find if I write things down during the day at work on my ever-increasing list, or in a notebook by my bed, it somehow compartmentalises the ‘what-to-do list’ with the rest of my day.

I love the idea of unplugging and not being connected to so-called urgent emails, texts and phone calls ... and, just for a moment, stop and enjoy the space around me.

Closing my eyes and simply breathing, it’s amazing how good I actually feel reconnecting just with a couple of minutes of self-focus each day.

Currently, we are trying not to have phones, iPads or laptops in the bedroom. I am sure it is a huge game changer, but I still can’t seem to surrender that final swipe of what’s happening in the world online.

How we spend our time, particularly outside of work, is so important. Do we want to just sit and be entertained, and watch TV each night? Or do we stop those rather dull sedentary activities and engage the brain and body in perhaps more active pastimes?

A friend of mine has returned to playing board games with her teenage children after dinner; another has started crafts projects; and another is trying the science-based work-out called orangetheory (see page 40).

Yet another is reading proper books again after reading them on screens for many years. She said she missed the feeling of turning a physical page and that she got tired of looking at a screen after staring at one all day at work. This switching off from all things technological and engaging in pastimes that stretch the brain sounds great, but, in reality, how hard is it to achieve?

We realised we just aren’t watching as much TV these days. Instead, when we choose to watch, it’s more box sets or watching the new releases of shows we have already followed for many seasons ... or a show someone from work has recommended. So we have ended up with more time on our hands with this ‘appointment style’ of TV watching.

This has resulted in a complete shake-up of our after-work activities. We are trying to have dinner earlier ... and then, an hour later, going for a decent walk. It has a couple of benefits. We are ready for sleep when we return from our walk and seem to discuss more ‘stuff’ while walking that isn’t just work-related. These long post-dinner walks remind me of watching Italian families strolling during the evening when we visited Italy (although our walks look nothing like Siena, Florence or Rome).

Re-thinking parts of your day and making time for change – even if it’s just small things like going for a walk after dinner – can have real impact on your mind, body and soul. I didn’t want to go into this year with a list of broken New Year’s resolutions or more talk of the diet and exercise I wanted to achieve but somehow never do.

Instead, I have quietly put in place moments of time that are achievable ... and they are having a positive impact. So far, so good, but as the year gets busier, making time that doesn’t involve more technology could be tricky.

The quote on this issue’s cover seems very apt: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” I’m not so sure about the wise part, but I do agree with the sentiment