5 Ways to Stay Present
In this day and age, if you don't reply to a text, call, Facebook message, or any other virtual communication within an hour or two, it could be a source of anxiety for you, or the person who's trying to reach you. Why isn't she getting back to me? She must be out with another guy. Why is he taking forever to call when he said he would? He's definitely ghosting, omg. If you're not about to chuck your phone out of the window on a busy freeway, then there are alternatives for staying present in this age of technology.
1. Turn it off or on to airplane modeYou could have your phone on, ready and waiting to interrupt any task you're immersed in: work, a date, working out, etc. But why invite distraction? Let it wait in line, and when you're engaged in an activity that matters to you, such as relationship building and quality time, sleeping, or doing what you gotta do to make a living, take a breath, and turn your phone in the off position, and allow yourself to focus. Sure, someone may try to reach you in that time, but unless you're expecting an urgent call, say, about a family member's pending birth or the status of a loved one's health, then you deserve to be focused on what's in front of you here and now.
2. Segment social media timeWith social apps on your phone, push notifications and working at a computer 9-5 (or beyond), it's easy to check a social account or two every hour. Hey, it can be fun to check out what's trending, and put your FOMO at ease, or find out about something just in time to make it or decide you'd rather not, and just stay home. How would your life be different if you designated one or two times per day to check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc? How much time would you allot per session? Live a little life like no one's watching.
3. Read DailySwap daily tube time (this includes Netflix and Youtube binges) for getting lost between some pages. Some could argue that reading isn't being "present," and maybe they're right, but what reading does do, is allows you to be more present afterward by stimulating your imagination and giving your eyes a break from a bright screen.
4. Be attentive and vocalWhen you get zoned out during a conversation, do you usually smile and nod and hope you'll figure out what they were saying as the conversation continues? Let's halt that habit and instead, if you miss something, ask them to repeat it. No shame in this honest game! If you find that you're asking people to repeat themselves a lot, ask yourself what's detracting from your listening, and take steps to limit those activities with spending time with people you care about.
5. Be Bored OftenIt's so easy to escape boredom. Why wait in line at the grocery store with a silly grin on your face, twiddling your thumbs when you can instead reply to work email? The fact of the matter is, when you don't allow yourself to be bored, you're also robbing yourself of the opportunity to be creative. Sure, consuming funny videos and reading blogs can inspire creativity, but it's passive, and in order for you to be a creator yourself, you need to take breaks from being a consumer.
