April 07, 2014
Mental Health: Benefits of Unplugging and Decompressing
How often do you think about mental health and how important it is to your well-being? Chances are good that you don’t often consciously think about your mental health, but you are nonetheless concerned about it. Good mental health is why you share a laugh with a friend, hug your children and take some time out for yourself.
Improving your mental health might also be the best reason to unplug regularly. What is meant by unplugging? Essentially, it means making an intentional decision to ignore technology. It doesn’t mean adopting the lifestyle of a hermit and living in the wilderness. What it does mean is choosing to ignore your cell phone, tablet, laptop, television, radio and any other gadgetry for some space of time.
Why It’s Important to Have Good Mental Health
If the thought of that makes you recoil in horror, you’re not alone. However, if regularly unplugging really could give you better mental health, isn’t it worth trying? Good mental health keeps you emotionally balanced and it stops you from overreacting. Mental health gives you a quiet sense of self confidence, the feeling that you are capable of meeting all of life’s challenges.
The Benefits of Unplugging
When you unplug, you are choosing to focus on the people that are in your immediate area and on the events that are happening right now. You minimize distractions, putting in valuable face time with people who are important to you and focusing on giving quality and meaning to the present moment. All of these things have the result of improving your mental health. As a bonus, your ability to unplug, and to be comfortable while doing so, may also make you more efficient and better able to cope with the obstacles that can crop up in anyone’s life.
Mental health isn’t just about sanity. It’s also about your ability to pay attention to the present moment. Good mental health means that you have the power to limit distractions and to make each minute better than the last.
Daniel C. Miller is a felony lawyer, personal injury lawyer, traffic attorney and more.