A gadget like a cell phone or tablet can lead to an increased sense of stress.  It’s not surprising why this is the case.  Human beings require “down time” to rest, relax and recharge.

If you’re always hooked into the virtual world, you don’t have that necessary time to yourself.  If you feel you always have to be “on,” ready to respond to anything, constantly interacting with the virtual world, you’ll quickly burn out.

Protect yourself from gadget related burnout with these tips.

It’s easy to waste hours and hours surfing the Internet or playing games on a phone.  If you’re stressed about “not having enough time,” but spend hours on social media, the root of the issue is time management.

When you’re not at work, does your workplace really need to be able to reach you 24/7?   Maybe, if you’re on call or occasionally required to handle emergencies.  If you’re someone who needs to be available, like a first responder, business owner or medical professional, turn up your ringer volume and put your phone down.  You’ll hear it go off if someone is trying to call you.

If your job doesn’t require 24/7 “on call,” put your phone away during evenings, weekends and vacations.  For your mental and emotional health, you need time to relax.  Any emails you get will be waiting for you on Monday morning.

Avoid scheduling work meetings, email-reading time, or “prep work” outside of work hours whenever possible.  Set healthy boundaries.  Emergencies happen, but spending your free time as “extra work time” is not sustainable for your health over the long term.

Act with intention.  When you are playing games, checking social media or web surfing on your phone, it should be because you are actively choosing to spend that time on the phone.  Problems result when a gadget becomes an easy go-to for mindless entertainment, the way televisions were for previous generations.  When you have free time, ask yourself—do I really want to spend my precious free time using my phone, or is there something else I’d rather be doing?

Minimize the time you spend multi-tasking.  Splitting your attention can become mentally exhausting.  Gadgets can be a constant distraction from eating, relaxing, enjoying your hobbies, cooking, or whatever you’re attempting to do.

If you’re feeling stressed out, chiropractic care can be an effective solution.  Chiropractic care supports your body and nervous system as you cope with stress.  Call Sheppard Chiropractic and Laser Healing today at (506) 635-8182 or (506) 847-7172 to schedule your next appointment.