NOVEMBER A Word on Wellness: What are your boundaries with technology? If this is the first time you are thinking about this then GREAT, I'm so glad you're reading this newsletter. If not, then use this as a reminder to review what you're doing and think about whether it's working for you. The instantaneous exchange of information (made possible by our technology) has created an unrealistic demand on our time and attention. Think about it... for many of us, our work email is linked to our phone, in addition to a personal email or two (??) Emails, calls, texts, a comment on an instagram picture... all of these forms of technological communication can create, what feels like, a never ending to-do list when you are expecting yourself to respond to or address each one. Right now, too many of us are on-call 24/7 to our technology and it has the same affect as being on-call 24/7 for work. Our phone is like a dysfunctional, needy boss - always wanting more from us. We NEED to unplug and be truly "off-duty." The feeling that you are constantly behind, that you aren't responsive enough, that you have to address something immediately (lest it get lost in the ether)... This causes underlying anxiety that you may be well aware of, or that you maybe never pinpointed before. And guess what? The answer isn't to be more efficient, to respond to emails on the weekend or to just work harder. Nothing is wrong with you. There is something wrong with our system, with our new normal. Before we move on to the strategic piece of this, take a moment to assess your relationship to your phone, computer etc. These are some good questions to ask:
Are you currently using any of the above examples? Do you have any boundaries in place? If not, don't worry! Pick one or two and give it a try. Not only will this benefit you, it can have a huge impact on others around you. One example of this is in the workplace... If you are sending emails to others at midnight, that is likely going to increase their feelings of anxiety around needing to respond. Whereas, if you are more clear on your boundaries, it invites other people to do the same. I would love to hear from you about some of the boundaries you've set in place. What are some things that work for you? Something to Read:
In a past newsletter I referenced the emotional labor toll that women experience and linked to a comic strip that illustrated that issue. Harper's Bazaar has a more in depth op-ed on that topic here. Something for women to think about - how can we let go of the control and allow for change? For men - how often do you take complete ownership over household/family/parenting tasks? If you're already sharing the load well in your relationship, then keep up the good work everyone! It's gotta be a joint effort to create more equality. Comments are closed.
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