My life is kind of upside down right now. It’s a little overwhelming and a quite exhilarating all at once. But of course, with all kinds of change, anxiety is inevitable. I’ve taken up meditating, committed to working out more, and even attempting to go to sleep before midnight. Big things people, very big things.
I’ve definitely gotten to the point where I need major changes. And in full disclosure… I can’t disclose a lot. I know, it’s annoying. I’m definitely to the point where I’m sharing as much as I can with my life… but I’m also growing personally and professionally outside of this blog. While I absolutely love sharing my favorite clothing picks, and helping answer your questions, and even tapping into some of the lessons I’m learning as I grow up… I don’t love that I can’t share everything.
Being in college, I’m realizing, rarely had conflict of interest and all this crazy real life stuff. Real life is… real. And I’m still working on ways to share what I’ve learned, while also balancing how to appropriately live my life offline. (Fun fact: I do have a life offline!!)
I’m collecting everything that’s going on with my life in emails to my mentors and my best friends. Typically writing my blog posts and Prep Talk emails have actually served as wonderful sources of stress-relief. Writing in general and processing my thoughts is just exactly what I need. So the emails are serving that purpose as well.
Oh life, always full of surprises. So I hope you’re okay with bearing with me for a bit as I climb my way out of this weird space that I’ve found myself in.
One thing that I’ve done in addition to meditating, and exercising, and (gasp) sleeping is turn my phone on silence.
I always keep my phone on silence, but it always vibrates when I get messages and emails and even calls. I switched off the setting where now nothing happens. Absolutely nothing. And you know what? Not being interrupted my phone every ten minutes has had an oddly dramatic effect. It’s so simple, but it’s so nice.
You see, it wasn’t just the interruptions that was bothering me. I was having the worst anxiety every time my phone went off. I had convinced myself that something terrible or just nerve-wracking had occurred. That feeling of being on a roller coaster, right as your making a big drop? Every single time my phone would vibrate. The feeling of relief when it was just a text from a friend or an email from a reader was fine… but the stress of hearing that vibrate and not knowing what to expect was driving me crazy.
The anxiety hasn’t always been there, but it hasn’t always not been there.
I read this article about how iPhones are scarily a huge part of social culture in middle school. (Not being friends with someone because she can’t join group iMessages?) It’s absolutely crazy how synonymous are phones are with our lives. From the minute we wake up (my iPhone is my alarm!) to the minute we go to bed (because you just have to send that last Snapchat!), we’re connected.
Well I’m silencing mine. I only have notifications for everything other than texts and emails and phone calls turned off already. But even still… My text messages can wait. My emails can be answered on my computer when I’m at work. And phone calls are almost always telemarketers anyway.
My phone is silenced. My anxiety is silenced.
And it rocks.
Have you ever just had enough with your phone and being connected all the time?
xoxo
PS I missed like four calls and 14 text messages while I was home after work. A) the world didn’t end and B) I worked for four hours with no interruptions and no anxiety. This is a win.
Go for it, Carly! I find one of my "worst habits" is ignoring emails, texts and voicemail messages for longer than is socially acceptable before responding. I do this because I make a point to not let others control my daily routine, and I have to remind myself of this daily. BUT – it works. You are confident, you know others shouldn't control your choices and I know you'll find your way to a better place! I'll be cheering for you (and your silenced phone)!!!
I just did the same thing, and I love it! I feel less tied to my phone, and use my time more wisely. I also try to leave my phone at home sometimes, like if I go out for a walk or even just downstairs to check the mail. I don't need it with me all of the time.
my phone is scrap. The quality is getting worse every week, in the meantime it stopped to record my text messages. But somehow I like it that way 😀
maybe somewhen a post about meditation? Sounds intersting 🙂
Maybe you should take a collegeprepster summer break! Afterall…you're not in college anymore. Perhaps you can be 'real life prepster' 🙂
I did this a few weeks ago and it was a sanity saver for sure. It was so nerve wracking because I never knew when the phone would make a demand on my time and felt so anxious when it would go off. It pretty much lives on silent and I choose when I want to check it. It's been such a relief! Technology is great but so are boundaries 🙂
My phone is always silenced. It's a rare thing for it not to. I hate it when someone interrupts my reading, writing or even when I'm at work or university. (Main reason why my parents get crazy when I don't answer the phone-oops)So go for it! It's the best thing you could do to slow down a bit 🙂
Last summer, I was disconnected from a lot of the outside world for about a month. My family moved, and between when we had to be out of our old house and when we could get into our new house, we lived up in our lake house. In the Maine woods. Without Internet and with spotty cell connection. The first week was torture, but then I started feeling good about other areas of my life. I spent time with my family without being glued to my phone. I cooked more and wrote more (I actually published my book from the WiFi from my dad's cell phone, which we only had on the weekends when he wasn't working in Boston). My life was significantly less stressful than it was otherwise, and my anxiety decreased.
Our lives are centered on technology, but it's not a bad thing when we get separated from it, whether for 4 hours or for 4 weeks. Good luck continuing to be separated!
Kate
katethealmostgreat.blogspot.com
I think this is a great way to take a break from technology. There are so many ways that technology dictates our life between work and blogging that it would be unnatural for us to shut it out all together. However, there are steps we can take to not let our technology control our lives. This is a great post and such an eye opener!
I agree with you that phones can just be a pain sometimes! I plan on taking at least one weekend a month to not use my laptop and to put my phone on silent and only check it a few times a day. Just to get some time to relax without constantly being interupted by random "Whats up?" texts.
🙂
<3, Sabra
I just made a post about this topic the other day! I've learned that, just as you said, the world doesn't stop just because you aren't connected to your phone/facebook/etc all the time. I personally feel more relaxed now that I have distanced my self from my phone!
my phone is always on silent. it scares my boyfriend's dog when it makes any noise so i just leave it off. this way i only check my phone when i want to. i have the same anxiety about something bad happening when my phone goes rings. especially when i'm at work.
I've been putting my phone on "Do Not Disturb" lately, which only allows messages from my "Favorites" list, which is my family and closest friends. It has given me a lot more time and I don't focus as much on my phone.
http://ring-a-roundarosey.blogspot.com
It's a good thing! I am so nervous and get so worried about everyone and everything that turning the phone off is good
So, I know this is super late to be commenting on this, but after reading this, I inspired to the same thing. I had been feeling extremely overwhelmed lately and just did not know what it do. While this has not completely solved my problems, I feel like its been a huge help. I get so much more done because there are no distractions and productivity helps me feel less overwhelmed and out of control. Thanks so much for sharing!
SUCH a healthy thing to do.
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