Taking a break from technology, known as "unplugging", can provide several benefits such as reduced eye strain, improved sleep quality, and increased productivity. The document discusses why unplugging is important and provides tips for doing so, such as using the 20-20-20 eye relaxation rule, limiting social media and cell phone use, and designating regular tech-free nights at home. Unplugging, even for short periods each day, can improve both physical and mental health.

1. Taki ng a Tech Br eak:
Why you need t o unpl ug

2. 2
What does “ unpl uggi ng” f r om
t echnol ogy mean?
• “ Unpl uggi ng f r om t echnol ogy” si mpl y
means t o put away or cease any use of
t echnol ogy devi ces f or a per i od of
t i me
• Exampl es i ncl ude:
– Cel l phones
– Lapt ops
– Comput er s
– TV
– Game consol es/ devi ces
– Tabl et s, ki ndl es, et c
– And Mor e!

3. 3
Suf f er f r om eye st r ai n due t o
st ar i ng at a comput er al l day?
• Tr y usi ng t he 20- 20- 20 r ul e!
• Ever y 20 mi nut es, l ook at somet hi ng 20
f eet away f or 20 seconds

4. 4
The Cel l Phone Addi ct i on
• 84% of cel l phone user s cl ai m t hey woul d
not go one day wi t hout i t
• 67% of cel l phone user s check t hei r phone
f or messages, al er t s, and cal l s even when
t hey’ r e phone does not vi br at e or r i ng.
• 88% of U. S. consumer s use mobi l e devi ces
as a second scr een even whi l e wat chi ng TV
• St udi es i ndi cat e t hat some mobi l e devi ce
owner s check t hei r devi ces ever y 6. 5
mi nut es

5. 5
Soci al Medi a
• 1 i n 3 peopl e wi l l f eel wor se
af t er get t i ng on Facebook and
f eel mor e di ssat i sf i ed wi t h
t hei r l i ves
• The f r equency t hat peopl e check
t hei r soci al medi a gadget s i s
j ust t he r i ght amount t o get
t he br ai n’ s addi ct i on cent er s
engaged.

6. Text i ng and Emai l s
• Text i ng and emai l i ng i s al l ar ound us
and an absol ut e necessi t y f or al most
al l Amer i cans
– 97% of Amer i cans t ext at l east once a day
– The aver age adul t spends a t ot al of 23
hour s a week t ext i ng
– 269 bi l l i on emai l s ar e sent each day
– The aver age of f i ce wor ker r ecei ves 121
emai l s a day
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7. Psychol ogi cal and Physi cal
I ssues
• Peopl e who use t echnol ogy heavi l y had
mor e of a r i sk i n devel opi ng a ment al
heal t h pr obl em such as depr essi on,
st r ess, and sl eep di sor der s.
– Ot her i ssues t hat can ar i se i ncl ude:
di st r act i on, nar ci ssi sm, t he expect at i on of
i nst ant gr at i f i cat i on, and even depr essi on.
• Technol ogy can al so have negat i ve
r eper cussi ons on physi cal heal t h
causi ng i ssues such as: vi si on
pr obl ems, hear i ng l oss, and neck
st r ai n.
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8. 8
7 benef i t s f r om unpl uggi ng
• 1. Ener gy bi l l savi ngs
• 2. I ncr eased awar eness of your
sur r oundi ngs
• 3. Reduced body pai n
• 4. I mpr ove memor y r et ent i on and mood
• 5. Bet t er qual i t y of sl eep
• 6. Enhanced pr oduct i vi t y
• 7. Sat i sf act i on i n si mpl y enj oyi ng bei ng
i n t he moment

9. 9
8 Easy Ways t o Unpl ug f r om
Technol ogy
• 1. St ar t t he mor ni ng by f ocusi ng on you, such as
medi t at i ng
• 2. Go back t o an ol d school ear l y 2000’ s f l i p phone
• 3. Make your sel f so busy wi t h ot her act i vi t i es t hat
you have no t i me t o sur f t he web or Facebook
• 4. Car r y a book or not e pad wi t h you i nst ead of
checki ng soci al medi a whi l e you wai t , r ead a book
• 5. Go on a di gi t al di et and count how many t i mes you
check emai l , br owse t he web, or check
• f acebook and l i mi t i t dai l y
• 6. Leave your phone at home f or a coupl e hour s
• 7. When you l eave wor k, act ual l y l eave i t don’ t check
emai l s or wor k at home
• 8. Schedul e Fr ee t i me

10. 10
Mor e Ti ps t o Unpl ug
• Set achi evabl e goal s f or your sel f
– I f your ar e const ant l y on your phone or ot her
t echnol ogy devi ces t r y t o unpl ug f or an hour
and cont i nue t o i ncr ease f r om t her e
• Tur n of f or put your phone, l apt op,
t abl et , et c on si l ent and out of si ght i n
a basket / bi n or desi gnat e an ar ea
• Let peopl e know you’ l l be of f l i ne so
you’ l l l ess l i kel y r el apse t o your phone
or ot her t echnol ogy
• Use a t r adi t i onal al ar m cl ock t o avoi d
get t i ng “ onl i ne” f i r st t hi ng i n t he
mor ni ng

11. 11
Cr eat e a Tech Fr ee Ni ght
• Tr y cr eat i ng a ni ght i n your househol d
one t i me a week t o shut down al l
t echnol ogy f or t he ni ght
– Al t er nat i ves:
• Eat di nner and enj oy conver sat i on wi t h
f r i ends or f ami l y
• Get Act i ve! Go f or a wal k or pl ay a game
or spor t out si de wi t h f r i ends and f ami l y
• Pl ay ot her games such as boar d games
• Do chor es or ot her t asks ar ound t he house
• Go t o l ocal event s i n your t own such as a
f ood mar ket

12. The Takeaway
• Soci al medi a, t ext i ng and emai l s can
be al most a necessi t y t o communi cat e
f or most peopl e and can be al most
i mpossi bl e t o avoi d
• Tr y t o unpl ug t hough f r om t echnol ogy
when i t per mi t s t o your schedul e
t hr oughout t he day
– Cr eat e smal l pocket s of t i me, t ech f r ee
ni ght s or even day( s) wher e you separ at e
your sel f f r om your phone, l apt op, comput er ,
et c
• Decr easi ng scr een t i me f r om t ext i ng,
emai l s, soci al medi a and ot her usage
can l ead t o many benef i t s such as
i mpr oved memor y, pr oduct i vi t y, sl eep 12

13. Ref er ences
Becker, J. (n.d.). 7 Important Reasons to Unplug and FInd Space. Retrieved from becomingminimalist:
http://www.becomingminimalist.com/unplug-please/
Health and Technology. (2016). Retrieved from Digital Responisbilty:
http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/health-and-technology/
Presland, C. (2015, October 21). Digital Detox: 16 ways to unplug from technology, every day. Retrieved
from auther unlimited: http://authorunlimited.com/ways-to-unplug-from-technology/
Smith, C. (2017, February 14). 80 Incredible Email Statistics. Retrieved June 13, 2017, from
http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/email-statistics/
Tumbleson , M. (2017, March 27). 19 Text Messaging Stats That Will Blow Your Mind . Retrieved June 13,
2017, from https://teckst.com/19-text-messaging-stats-that-will-blow-your-mind/
Turner, J. (2016, December 6). Prevent eye strain with the 20-20-20 rule. Retrieved from juststand.org:
http://blog.juststand.org/2016/12/06/prevent-eye-strain-20-20-20-rule/
Reece, T. (2011, October 07). 8 Easy Ways to 'Unplug' From Technology. Retrieved June 08, 2017, from
http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living-pictures/8-easy-ways-to-unplug-from-technology.aspx
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