Consuming Electronic Media in Moderation: Tips

Do you ever wind up at a website and then, looking left and right in confusion, ask yourself, “What am I doing here?” Yes, your brain has crashed. Thank you, electronic media. On and on it goes: Whatsapp ding-ding-ding! I messaged you on LinkedIn, did you see it? You have 6 new messages, 12 new likes, 8 new emails, 3 shares, 12 hearts — and that was since you last checked 2 minutes ago!

Please! I don’t need a vacation. I just want to be able to step off the non-stop electronic treadmill for just a few hours a day! 3 snap-hacks to enjoy media in moderation

Put your smartphone in a different room (or same-room closet) for a set period. It’s much too hard to pull it out and get sucked in when it’s stored away.

Use a countdown timer to focus. Commit yourself to work solidly for 25 minutes, and then give yourself an email or social media break for a few minutes.

Before you start media, use a notepad to jot down what you are doing online and what you need to do. The notepad will keep you mentally anchored so that when your fingers start floating in a zombie-like click-click progression, you can use your notepad as a time machine telling you what your brain was thinking 45 minutes ago.