Enjoy the season with these handy tips to help you unplug during the holidays and get the most out of this special time of year.
Known as the most wonderful time of the year, many of you are currently preparing to spend the holiday season with your loved ones. During such a busy season, we can often forget the importance of self-care and truly living in the moment. With arduous work schedules, parties, shopping, entertaining, running of your household, and so much more, your focus is often on others. But where does that leave you?
It is time to re-evaluate your processes and systems in place so that you can enjoy the holiday season while making memories that can last a lifetime.
One of the best ways to do so is to participate in regular tech blackouts. This can help you unplug during the holidays, while giving you some sanity back.
Here are a few ways that you can unplug and enjoy.
Blackout Zones
Establishing Blackout Zones or Tech-Free areas in your home can truly help you and those you love unplug and get back to center. During the holidays in my own home, the family room is a Tech Free Zone. When entertaining, no phones are allowed after 20 minutes (this gives time for everyone to take photos, etc.). Believe it or not, people actually look forward to coming over for just that reason. It’s about family time and sharing good tidings. Not staying glued to your phone.
DND
Have a set time each night that you put your phone or device on DND. This will allow you to relax, read a good book, cuddle with your significant other, and play with the kiddos. All of your notifications will be there the next day and you can bond without the interference of your device.
Family Hour
What better way to unplug by spending time with family? Institute a regular weekly Family Hour during the holiday season and invite over whomever is available to participate in some family fun. Make one week a game night, the next DIY or arts and crafts, and so on and so forth. Why use social media to talk to one another when you can engage (if possible) in person? Think of all the memories you can make!
Stack the Phones
When you are with family, friends, or loved ones, use the Stack Your Phones game. This is where everyone who’s together piles their phones on top of one another as to to in tuned to one another and not to the phone. This will definitely encourage unplugging.
Social Media Fast
Encourage your loved ones (and yourself) to go on a social media fast. Take a weekend and opt for real unplugging by saying no to the noise on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Make it a goal to see and connect with people in real life and off the grid. You can even make it a tradition for the holidays, or continue it ever so often throughout the year.
Why would you want to do this? Sometimes, it’s best to disconnect to the world wide web and get tuned in to the real one. It’s healthy and necessary to dump social media and the Internet, if just for the weekend. Spend time connecting with those closest to you in real time.
The holiday season is busy enough. Unplug during the holidays and make it truly a special time of connecting and bonding.
How do you intend on unplugging this holiday season?
P.S. You can purchase the I Need to Unplug Journal seen in this post by Knock Knock HERE.
Great post! I plan to unplug this season by spending more time with my family.
I love hearing this. Thanks for reading.
I known I should unplug, but I probably won’t. I take too many pictures and Instagram everything during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
At least you are honest. I am THAT mom too, but this year, I’m going to ease back be more in the moment. 🙂
This is a wonderful idea. I need to follow this on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I usually end up spending precious time on my phone. I am trying to be mindful of this especially when my husband is home.
Try it this holiday season and let me know what you think.
I like the idea of tech black outs. I do work from home and online 90% of the time, so it’s hard, But really how affective can be at your work if you are feeling burnt out? Great ideas here!
Thanks so much. Tech free zones really do work. 🙂
Unplugging is definitely needed this time of year. People get so caught up on their devices that they forget to interact with their loved ones!
Yes! I will definitely be unplugging this season.
Unplugging is what I currently doing on my own. I think when you have an interact with your family, we should do unplug devices and keep talk to our relatives.
Good for you! This makes me happy to read this.
I like to try to unplug on the weekend. The kids have gotten used to having to put their phones in the basket. I set a daily alarm so I know when it is time to log off for the night.
The weekends are a great time to unplug for sure.
I want to take the time to celebrate our family and unplug. It can he SO hard though when everything is on our phone!
It can be. I recommend taking some time out of the holiday to unplug. Of course take time for photos and whatnot, but be present during really special moments.