When I Need To Unplug

The past few months have been hard as a community. Our timelines have been bombarded with racially motivated acts that make the online world a difficult place to be at times.

If you’re anything like me, I find the internet an excellent place to get inspired by positive information, but on the other hand, it can be emotionally draining too.

So what do you do when it’s time to take a step back from what’s going on in the world? You find ways to unplug, clear your thoughts and take care of yourself.

Many of us don’t know how to take care of ourselves because we’re too busy taking care of others. Personally, I struggle with keeping still and worrying about what I have to do next, so I try my best to log off and log out from my online world — even for one full day.

Not sure how to escape the online madness? I use these simple “unconventional ways to unplug, log off and log out”— even for just a little while:

PHONES OFF NOW! I know this seems obvious to all of us, but you’d be surprised how many people are unable to willingly turn off their phones and leave it off. What works for me? I don’t recharge my phone when my phone battery is low. I do my best to wait until the next day to charge my phone, and I make sure to give myself some “me time” since I’m not constantly charging my phone.

YOU BETTER DANCE, GIRL! Music is a huge part of my life. Different styles of music are important to my overall energy for different reasons. I’m not saying to go pay for a dance class, I mean get off of that phone, put some music on and dance! Whenever I need to relax, release and think, I’m often twirling in my living room all by myself. If dancing isn’t your thing, then listen to calm music while you rest your mind and your heart.

CREATE SOMETHING. I’m a crafty person, I like crafts and I dabble in a little painting now and then. Sitting and using your hands to do anything that will force you to be patient, is a beautiful way to detach yourself from distractions. Grab one of your child’s (if you have any) colouring books and try staying within the lines. You will find this quite relaxing.

WRITE! At this very moment, I’m writing as I’m sitting on a Greyhound bus from a mini vacation in Montreal. I’m in the most relaxed state right now. Journaling is a big part of releasing good and bad emotions. Get a notebook or a piece of paper and write down the first words that comes to mind and then wait a second and expand on it. Don’t stop your flow. For the perfectionist out there: don’t check for spelling errors and mistakes etc. Just write whatever comes to mind and then expand on it. Consider what you really want to get out of your system.

How do you log off, log out and unplug?