Let’s Cleanse

By: Samantha S. Daviss

It’s almost the start of a new year and we all typically want to shed the holiday weight by starting a strict diet regime. We regret all the peppermint bark we ate, all the cookies we shoveled in, and especially all the egg nog we drowned ourselves in for the past month.

But at the start of this year, I of course am going to start my physical cleanse; but more importantly I have decided to start a mental cleanse as well. We as a society have gotten our brains too bogged down with technology, speed, and ramping our minds and bodies up so much, that we tend to lose the ability to focus, find inner peace, and just relax.

And I am one of the guiltiest people that definitely fall into this category. I have two calendars, a work one and a personal one. And my personal one is highlighted, tabbed and categorized for myself, my husband, all three kids; you name it is in there…and for months to come, too.

So here are a few suggestions I have for us all to learn to “un-plug” this year.

1)      Power down. I mean literally power your phone down for at least an hour or two a day, preferably at night, so you aren’t constantly checking it. It will give your brain a chance to rest, and your family the undivided attention they deserve.

2)      Meditate. Find inner peace on some level. Learn to sit still. Learn to relax, and I mean really relax. You don’t have to sit on the floor with your legs crossed like a grasshopper. But find that moment in your day to just chill. Whether you are on your back porch with a cup of coffee, or sitting in your car waiting on the kids, but without a device or the radio on, or like myself, I love to write or scribble down my thoughts. Regardless of your technique, just shut it all down for 10-15 minutes a day.

3)      Don’t sleep with your phone by your bed. I am guilty of this because it is my alarm in the morning. So if you must you must. But don’t climb into bed and read Facebook, or catch up on texts or emails. Learn to do that in a different place of the house. Your bed is your resting place, your sanctuary. It will allow you time to watch TV, to read, to unwind, or maybe pay attention to that person you share your bed with.

4)      Stop wasting your time on the net. We waste about half of our productive day or work day surfing the internet for useless, mindless things or items. Who cares what celebrity married who. Who cares who wore what to what award show. Stop mindless surfing. Shut it down. Use that time for you, for your family, or for something more productive.

5)      Last...slow down, but be productive. I know that makes no sense. But don’t plan 10 things to do in an hour’s time. They say only 2% of the population really can handle multi-tasking. So realize we all stink at it. Learn to slow down and spread your plans out a little more (and I know this can’t always be helped, but try); but don’t become a slug. Use your time wisely. Slow down, but be productive.

Life is chaotic enough as it is. It passes you by way too quickly. So learn to enjoy it. But remember, all these gadgets and devices we all have really are doing more irrefutable damage than good. Cleanse yourself from the inside out. Preferably starting with your mind this year.