Wake up. Check your phone. Brush your teeth. Check your phone. Eat something. Check your phone. Get out of class. Check your phone. Go to sleep. Check your phone.
Technology, social media, Facetime, texting, and even LinkedIn have consumed our lives from the moment we open our eyes in the morning and when we close them to sleep.
Don’t get me wrong; social media is one of the best ways to spread awareness on social issues and share the best moments of our lives with people that live across the world. It’s a way to escape for a moment. Scrolling for an hour— maybe, even two— is a way clear your mind and find a new recipe or cute videos of puppies.
But, sometimes, taking a step back is good. I was focused on Snapchat and Instagram for a while, thinking everything I saw was everyone else’s perfect life. I wanted to be updated on the latest celebrity news and be shocked that the girls I went to high school with dyed their hair hot pink.
Now, I’ve realized that it’s not all that. Seeing who the latest it-girl is or dupes for the Charlotte Tilbury contour wand is not as important as taking a step back just to relax. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb and spend an extra ten minutes in the shower or stay in bed another half hour.
So much of my life has been consumed by blue light. Taking the time talk to my roommates or cook myself a nice meal has been much more rewarding than hearing the same TikTok sound for the third time in a row. Putting my phone away has allowed me to be in the moment with my family and friends, something that I value the most. The text can wait. The follow request can wait. The email can wait. It’s important to put yourself first, however that may be. Do Not Disturb helps me to reconnect with the people closest to me and, most importantly, myself.