Downtime: a time of reduced activity or inactivity. We are all like phones that overheat in the sun, only we need to prevent ourselves from wearing down and becoming so exhausted or over exerted. In this era, our entire day if not our entire week revolves around our technology whether we realize that or not. Our phones are our main source of communication and information which makes leaving it behind practically impossible. But, since we are like phones that get overheated, we desperately need downtime. If you want to plead that you can simply go without it- be my guest, but this isn’t an article to tell you that you’re wrong but to encourage you to put the phone down; unplug and unwind.

Unwinding is a great way to look at the world without the view off of your phone screen and to enjoy the people sitting right next to you. Often our technology drains us from hours of social media and web surfing, and it is so re-energizing to put down your devices and forget about the whole other world in your device. Downtime is a way to rest. Not where you sit inside on a nice day for a break and tweet your every thought but a time to rest and not worry about being left out in the social media realm. Worry less about being left out, and focus more on being a part of what is happening in the real world right in front of you!

Give yourself time to relax and not worry if your selfie will get enough likes or if someone is subtweeting you. Relax because we need time to ourselves! Downtime can be fun! It can be an exhilarating book, laying by the pool, or even floating down a lazy river! Use your breaks for real down time from school to give yourself true rest from the technological world we live in! In fact be wise in your weekend time and use that for maximum rest and relaxation so you start the week feeling fresh and feeling rejuvenated not tuckered out from hours of web searching and selfies.

Sometimes downtime doesn’t just apply to the point of resting because you’ve had a long day, it doesn’t always mean to take a nap. Maybe we should be looking at the word downtime totally different. Maybe we should see it as downtime from our crazy busy technological lives; taking time to be in the realm with our friends at a baseball game, rather than in the stands Snapchatting everyone in our contacts and playing games. Maybe downtime should mean that we are unplugging and spending the day with our family or being connected with those around us without the use of technology that can distract us from the relationships and rest time right in front of us.

Downtime is so important to our minds to keep ourselves refreshed and to keep ourselves connected with those in the same room as us. This week I encourage you to take some downtime whether that’s a nap, personal time, time to chat with a friend without distractions, or to even just lay by the pool; notice how much easier it is to disconnect after you’ve done it a few times. I promise by the end you will be so happy you put your phone down and you will want to do it more often!