Currently I’m lapping up stunning Torbay, on the North Shore in Auckland, though when you’re reading this, I may well be somewhere else on the next step of our globe trot!
I’m savouring the most of these magic-moments here in this enchanting, kiwi tropical paradise. Especially this devine garden that comes with the apartment Chris so cleverly booked for us. Feeling blessed that the nearby construction that’s going on is being disguised by the calls of the native birds in this wall of greenery around us.
Experiencing these details is precisely the reason for this week’s topic resisting the urge to look.
You might be able to relate. For me, it was about resisting staring at social media, especially Facebook.
I realized a few months ago that I’m actually a recovering FB-aholic!
Have you ever said to yourself ‘I’m just going to just pop onto FB for a minute’ – and you re-surface an hour (plus plus) later. For me, it was like I’d been down some kind of rabbit hole or something.
FB had actually become my new TV (I clocked up endless hours of screen-time when I was a kid, until I weaned myself off when I was about 15). Unwittingly, I’d ended up replacing TV with FB.
So what do I do now when I get that pull to stare at FB? It’s simple – I resist the urge to look.
Plus, I gather my head of productiveness-steam by turning off my notifications (even email – gasp!), and I look when it suits me.
My new routine is – pop my post for the day onto a fabulous closed FB group called 90 Days of Gratitude (which also delightfully floods my newsfeed with the gratitudes shared by my 90 Days accountability buddies). And that’s it. I’m usually on-line for a max of 3 minutes.
Later in the day, I designate a specific time to read urgent messages (email, WApp, FB msgr) and at the end of the day, if I have 10 minutes to go back through, I’ll take a timed-scan. In the past, I may have posted a FB photo or comment and was then compelled to check repeatedly for who may have liked/commented since.
I mean – really! I feel so much freer in my head-space now ¹.
So in which ways do I invest that former SMedia-time now? The answer is intentionally. For example by taking regular breaks to touch base with clients and colleagues, hydrate and by taking brief walks (an invaluable tip I learned from a mentor because quick recharges can help us maintain focus. Big time).
And most importantly, I take time to breathe. This mind-free time is when I meditate – and it’s often when the answers come.
I’m genuinely curious to hear how you practice resisting the urge to look. Go on – DO share!
¹ In “Why We Waste our Time on Facebook,” published in The Sydney Morning Herald, Evelyn Lewin recommends: “Allocate yourself a set amount of time to use social media – using a timer, if needed – then stick to it. Or, only check social media at the end of the day as a ‘reward’ for completing other activities”. (Retrieved from https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/why-we-waste-our-time-on-facebook-20170214-gucgjx.html).
Fi Jamieson-Folland D.O, is a Lifestyle Consultant, with over 26 years experience in Europe, Asia and New Zealand as a qualified osteopath, educator, writer, certified raw vegan gluten-free chef, speaker, health mentor, LifeStyle and Health Ambassador. She’s a Global Citizen, regularly visiting her fav spots – including NZ, Bali, France, Canada, USA and The Bahamas with her husband Chris, relishing an outdoor lifestyle and time with family and friends.
