Tips for Digital Wellness

This one habit will make April your best month yet. Digital intermittent fasting: —— Ever heard of intermittent fasting? It’s when you wait a few hours to eat breakfast after waking up. And you finish your last meal a few hours before going to sleep. So… what if we applied that same idea to our phones? —— Here’s how a “digital detox” works: ☝️ 1). Don’t check your phone for 1 hour after waking up ✌️ 2). Put your phone away 1 hour before bed Let’s dive in… —— I’ve been “digital intermittent fasting” for years. ↳ (For me, that means no phone from 6-7am and from 9-10pm.) When you start, these 5 things will happen… 🔥 💤 1. 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩. (We all know screen time before bed is bad. But I didn’t realize HOW much better my sleep would get…) ⚡️ 2. 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞. (I genuinely wouldn’t notice this if I didn’t “detox” for those 2 hours x day) 💪 3. 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 + 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲. (It’s wild how much more I get done when I’m not constantly task-switching) 😌 4. 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐱𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲. (Such a relief to give my brain a break from cheap dopamine like social media, texts, pings, the news). But the most surprising part…? 💯 5. 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞. (Seriously.) —— Ready to try it? These 5 tips make it way easier: ↳ 1. Decide your detox times ↳ 2. Buy a physical alarm clock to get you up in the morning ↳ 3. 1 hour before bedtime, plug your phone in somewhere fully out of sight ↳ 4. Let people (who text you often) know that you’re trying this out and won’t be on your phone for those 2 hours x day. ↳ 5. Plan how you’re going to “fill the void.” (This is so important): 👉 Morning ideas: (1 hour) Work out, go for a walk, shower, cook breakfast, meditate, write down your 3 most important tasks, start deep work. 👉 Evening ideas: (1 hour) Spend screen-free time with your partner, get into flow with some creative work, read a few chapters of a book. —— It might feel uncomfortable in the beginning. Just make it through the first 2 days. Start small. It’ll get easier. And all of a sudden, you’ll realize… you’ve replaced 2 hours of mindless scroll with habits that are building your dreams. Here’s to making the next month your best yet. 🥂 ——

If you're a bit too attached to your phone, read this.👇 Give Digital Intermittent Fasting a try. Think of it as a break from the constant “digital buffet”. Start with not checking your phone 2+ hours before bed and 2+ hours after you wake up in the morning. Here are 5 lessons Iʼve learned from traditional fasting and applied to the digital world: 1) Set Boundaries We aren't designed for constant information exposure, just as our ancestors weren't surrounded by food 24/7. Limiting data intake is as vital as regulating eating. 2) Resist Fast Dopamine Too much cheap dopamine, whether from candy or endless scrolling, can overstimulate your brain's reward centers and lead to addiction. 3) Prioritize Rest Digital fasting, like regular food fasting, gives your mind and body a chance to rest. It's a chance to strengthen relationships, reconnect with nature, and protect our eyes from harmful blue light. 4) 80% Full Embrace "hara hachi bu," a Japanese concept that means "eat until you are 80% full. Even if you get lost in a TikTok rabbit hole, you'll know when to stop. 5) Schedule Your Consumption Create a daily digital "eating" window. Decide when you check emails, use social media, or watch Netflix to reduce decision fatigue. To integrate more healthy habits into your life, check the link in the comments. Are you ready to give digital intermittent fasting a try? Your future self will thank you! ___ If you found this helpful, feel free to share ♻️. For more valuable content, follow me Victoria Repa. Don't forget to hit the 🔔 button to stay updated on my future posts. #healthadvice #discipline #digitaldetox #fasting 

As professionals, we're often well-versed in guiding parents in managing their children's screen time and fostering healthy digital habits. But amidst our efforts to support others, it's crucial to acknowledge our own vulnerabilities to the effects of excessive screen time and address our "popcorn brains." I recently came across an insightful article that explores the concept of popcorn brain and its impact on attention span and cognitive function, not just in children but in adults as well. It's a timely reminder that while we advocate for mindful technology use in parenting, we must also take stock of our own digital habits. Drs. Sanam Hafeez and Andrew Kahn offer valuable insights into understanding and mitigating the effects of popcorn brain through practical lifestyle adjustments. From recognizing signs of screen time overload to implementing strategies for reclaiming focus, their expertise provides a roadmap for professionals seeking to address their own digital wellness. Here's why it's essential for us as professionals to prioritize our cognitive health: ✅ By modeling healthy screen time habits, we can inspire parents and clients to cultivate a balanced relationship with technology. ✅ Prioritizing our own well-being enhances our effectiveness in supporting others and navigating the complexities of the digital age. ✅ Taking proactive steps to manage popcorn brain fosters resilience, creativity, and cognitive vitality in our professional endeavors. 📰 Check out the article here: https://lnkd.in/ep_NBy25 By addressing our own popcorn brains, we can better serve our clients, support parents, and foster a healthier relationship with technology. #PopcornBrain #DigitalWellness #ProfessionalDevelopment #ParentingAdvice