Living in This 24/7 World

by Alisa Peskin-Shepherd | Nov 13, 2017 | Off Topic

We’re all constantly connected.

Walking down the street, glancing at your phone. Riding a bike, checking texts. Plugged in while driving the car, letting Siri tell us who emailed and speaking our responses while we signal to turn right.

We come home from a full day of work and check our messages. Click on the computer and scan for new emails. On the bus, on the airplane, on the weekend, in bed at night or first thing when we wake up – we are always connected.

It’s the world we live in. But is it the healthiest?

Everyone needs downtime. I don’t care how great the technology is. That doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice our sanity.

We still need down time, quiet, boundaries in place. It has to start with me. With you. With ourselves.

For co-workers, parents, relatives, friends, clients, bosses, kids – don’t feel badly about shutting down and tuning out.

It does not take away from doing a good job or being a supportive friend. It’s about maintaining your own sanctity and focus, which ultimately makes you better at your job or in your relationship when you finally do sign back on to connect.

We all want support when we feel we need it. But when someone else demands our time at 6 a.m., we want – and frankly, need – the privacy to protect our solitude, which we wholeheartedly deserve.

On Memorial Day weekend, I made the smart decision to not work. It was a great weekend because I had a true break. I did not let work interrupt my serenity.