It’s all about finding other things to do
Often friends of mine have said that they don’t think they could implement these boundaries as it would leave too much empty time to just well, think! Here are a few things I do in this extra time, which help contribute to keeping my mind in a good place.
Get back into reading. I’d really got out of the habit of reading fiction for fun. For my degree I do a lot of academic reading so at the end of the day my tired brain would reach for an easy-to-digest Netflix series rather than a book. Creating boundaries with my tech has forced me back into the arms of fiction and golly gosh I forgot how good it is to get lost in a book. You have to train yourself to get back into reading, but once you’ve got it back it’s a really wonderful way to end your day and get your brain ready for sleep (blue light free!). Audiobooks are also a great way to tap into some literature if you’re feeling tired.
One trick is to tell yourself that you have to spend a certain amount of time doing something you enjoy offline before you can turn your phone on in the morning. For me, I have to make myself a really delicious breakfast, eat it and have a boogie in the kitchen before I can start using my phone for the day. These are just small things, but they ensure the morning is started on a good note. It makes me feel much more ready to be part of the online world.
Try that hobby you’ve always wanted to try. Mend your clothes, try some cross stitch, knitting, cook, journal or paint. Do something that you’re doing just for fun. Not to tell someone you’ve done it or to feel a sense of achievement, but purely for the enjoyment it brings.
This isn’t a list of stringent instructions: they’re suggestions and examples of things that have worked for me. We’re all different so different things will work for all of us. I’m not going to pretend that I’ve been perfect about sticking to all of these boundaries all of the time or even that adding them to my life has made me some wonderfully perfect, enlightened person. They’ve just each helped me deal with anxiety a little bit more, and each little bit adds up. Give yourself (and your brain) a break.
See our pick of the best creative home activities for a weekend in quarentine.
Find out how the Eco-Age team have been staying positive while working from home.
Get some more inspiration for low-carbon hobbies to do in your newfound free time.