Is it possible to peacefully turn off in an "always on" world? Find out the answer here!

Friday: Mindfulness by Miles FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: Hi, everyone! I hope you’re having a great Friday. Let’s end the work week on a good note by talking about a health- and mindfulness-related topic. In these articles, my goal is to help you boost your overall well-being. Today, allow me to discuss mindfulness in the digital age. Read on to know why you should cultivate mindfulness in a digital world bombarded with streams of information every day. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

Is it possible to peacefully turn off in an "always on" world? Find out the answer here! As we delve deeper into the digital era, the importance of cultivating mindfulness becomes more paramount than ever. The relentless pace of modern life bombards us with distractions, leaving us feeling disconnected from ourselves and others. That’s why it’s important for us to know when to temporarily step away from our computer screens and take a break from using our gadgets. In this article, we’ll explore practical ways to navigate the path to inner balance amidst the digital age and nurture a mindful approach to life. Staying Mindful in the Digital Age There’s no doubt that the advancement and availability of the Internet, laptops, and smartphones have had a positive impact on our lives. These tools help us do our jobs more conveniently and keep in touch with friends and families living far away. However, recent research suggests that we spend more than 11 hours a day on average on digital media—a number that’s been on the rise for the past decade. This suggests that nowadays, more and more of our lives are spent interacting with technology. In a world that is constantly bombarded with information, notifications, and distractions, it can be challenging to stay focused, present, and calm. Our digital devices, while incredibly useful, can also contribute to stress, anxiety, and burnout. This is where mindfulness comes in. This practice has been proven to have numerous benefits for mental health and well-being, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood, and increasing focus and attention. By practicing mindfulness, we can learn to be more present, engaged, and intentional in our daily lives, both online and offline. Let me share with you some of our biggest challenges to mindfulness in the digital age and what to do about it: The Challenge of Ubiquity Almost all of us own a smartphone of some kind that vibrates throughout the day with notifications for new emails, text messages, and news items. These make it difficult to find the quiet time we sometimes need to engage in mindfulness. Solution: “Unplugged Breaks” Setting aside our devices can sometimes make us feel cut-off from the rest of the world, but it can provide us with the opportunity to indulge in the moment without interruption. One way to do this is to set aside time to fully “unplug” from your devices. If possible, step away from your work space and leave your devices behind to help reduce the temptation to check them. The “Need” to Be “Always On” For Work The flexibility offered by our devices allows us to be reached at all times and makes our work always accessible. While this flexibility can help us address urgent issues, the downside is that this can make us feel like we’re always working. This can even interrupt our time with family and friends! Solution: Set Healthy Boundaries Once we establish a habit of handling work-related issues whenever they come up, it can be difficult to recognize when we need to address an issue immediately or when it can be resolved later. So, help yourself be more mindful by setting clear boundaries as to when you will not be available for work so that you can be present for other things that matter to you. These boundaries can be defined around areas of your personal life or on a case-by-case basis. As you improve your mindfulness, you’ll better identify when work requires your attention and when it can wait. Moreover, setting clear boundaries around important moments can improve your performance at work and help you have a more satisfying career by reducing conflict between your work life and personal life. The Challenge of Socializing and Social Media On average, we spend over four hours a day on our phones and other devices, and nearly two hours of that is spent on social media. This means many of our interactions with other people occur through digital means. We send text messages, we like or react to pictures, and we share updates and accomplishments on a variety of platforms. Generally, this means it’s much easier to stay in touch with a large number of people at once, but it also means we get less time to focus on any single relationship. Our conversations become shorter and we become prone to distraction. While convenient, these changes can hurt our connections with others, leaving us with fewer meaningful relationships. Solution: Opt for Face-to-Face Interactions Seek out opportunities to create more meaningful shared moments with others. Instead of catching up with a message over social media, offer to go for a walk together or meet up over a meal. In business settings, finding a way to meet in person can avoid misunderstandings and foster more positive relationships. Even if you’re reconnecting with college friends who now live halfway across the globe and meeting in person is not possible, look for ways to get as close to them as possible. A video call is always better than an audio call, and an audio call is always better than a text message. Use technology to help you interact with others in ways that are fulfilling. Practice “mindful communication” to improve your experience and the experience of those around you. — Ultimately, incorporating mindfulness into our lives requires a commitment to self-care and personal growth. By taking time to cultivate mindfulness, we can improve our mental health, enhance our relationships, and lead a more fulfilling life. Besides, the power of mindfulness in the digital age cannot be underestimated. By combining spirituality and technology, we’ll be able to create a more balanced and harmonious relationship with the digital world. So, take a few moments each day to be present and mindful, and watch as your life becomes more centered and fulfilling! Happy Friday, everyone! May you find harmony between the digital world and your inner self, fostering a conscious approach to life that transcends the boundaries of the digital age.