Unplugging: 7 (Simple) Ways To Snatch Back Precious Time

I‘m not entirely sure how long the term unplugging has been a thing.

It used to be (back in the day) that if you were told you to unplug it was because your parents were trying to save money on the leckie bill.

Someone once told my dad that if you unplugged the toaster, you’d save 5p on every bill.

But nowadays, the term unplugging comes with a whole new meaning.

Unplugging in 2020 means getting off the internet, stop watching so much telly and telling your son to look up from his phone so that his neck doesn’t develop a permanent hump.

 

Listen to our podcast episode on Unplugging: 7 Simple Ways To Snatch Back (Precious) Time by clicking the link below!

 

 

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Unplugging

 

Now then. 

Just so you don’t go getting the wrong end of the stick, Brian and I didn’t make this podcast episode to shame those who like watching Corrie or are interested in keeping up with current events into feeling like addicted losers.

No.

We decided to talk about unplugging because after making a few changes in our own lives we noticed how much more time (and less stress) we were able to give ourselves.

And we thought we’d share that with you. ‘Cause we’re kind. And not mean.

 

 

24 Hour News Feed

 

This is a topic that (quite obviously) winds my husband up to the max.

I’ve never heard him get so bloody irate.

I have never been a fan of the news. Not since they took Gus Honeybun off the table, but the point that we wanted to make here is that watching the news 24 hours a day, seven days a week leaves you feeling crap.

Like shit, actually.

Who watches the news and comes away feeling light and refreshed?

Not me, that’s for sure. 

I watch the world news and I feel like a blind rabbit. Worried, helpless, scared and panicky.

Wondering where all the nice friendly carrot stallholders are hiding.

Switch off the news, people.

If you want to know what’s going on in the world, you can ask my mum.

She’s a leading authority.

 

 

Giving Soaps a Rest

 

Brian and I used to be addicted to Corrie, Brookside and Eastenders.

Every week, without fail, we’d tune in. And if we went on holiday, we would ask my mum to tape the omnibus.

I remember when Dirty Den was murdered in the daffodils. I thought my heart would break.

It wasn’t until we took a break from our soap addiction that we realised just how much time we had to do other things.

Like, make podcast episodes for you.

Not only do soaps suck you in and make you feel rotten and cynical, but they also steal hours (in our case more) of your precious time.

Give the soaps a rest and go and do something productive.

 

 

Removing Email From Your Phone

 

As I said on the podcast, this was the BEST unplugging decision that I have ever made in my life.

 

Removing the email app from my phone. Oh. My. God. Talk about stress levels going down and time management going up…

 

I would have down it a lot earlier, but Brian told me that if I did it, I would lose all of my email history forever and ever amen.

 

He denies telling me that, but I know he did.

 

He’s just a big fat liar.

 

Anyway, I did it, and no, you don’t lose your emails forever and ever. But you DO only check them when you open your computer.

 

Which is bliss.

 

As you know, it’s not as easy to fire up a computer or laptop as it is to check your phone, so the time you save (not to mention the constant stress of knowing that you have to attend to any given email) is HUGE.

 

If you do no other unplugging exercise do this one. You will be so glad that you did. 

 

 

 

Kicking  Facebook Out Of Your Pocket

 

Same thing goes for Facebook.

 

 I love taking a break from social media every couple of months. Even if you can only manage to do it for a day a week, the benefits are worth the initial uncomfortableness.

 

A few months ago, I decided to remove the Facebook App from my phone.

 

Before doing this, I would check my feed for notifications constantly. Often without even realising that I was doing it.

And then one day, I sat and clocked up all of the minutes that I was staring mindlessly at other peoples lives.

And I decided to take action.

I put aside a set time at the beginning and end of each day to check-in on Facebook, which means that I now get to spend quality time on the social media app rather than snatching mindless, guilt-laden minutes in between doing other things.

Do the same, and watch how it benefits you.

Bloody brill it is.

Kicking the Facebook app off my phone has given me loads more time and far less stress.

Now I just need to convince my son to do the same.