We all need to relax.

Schedules are full, the inbox keeps filling up and the phone keeps ringing.

We need to learn to chill. Learn to relax.

Relaxation is important for our overall well-being and our physical and emotional health.

Relaxing is more than kicking back with a cold drink after work. (although that sounds pretty good right now)

It’s more than taking off your tie after a long day at the office and getting into some comfortable clothes.

It’s more than zoning out and numbing our minds with worthless distractions and chemicals.

It requires clearing our minds—of the clutter and endless chatter we endure.

It requires being present and being intentional about our time.

To relax means to do things that quiet the stress that can build up in our lives.

It involves something that gives you a sense of peace and joy.

For some people, relaxing can happen in watching their favorite TV shows, or movies. I suggest something else.

Go Screen-Free!

I encourage you to find ways to relax that don’t involve a screen. Social media, streams of movies, endless hours in front of the TV—these things will rob you of something more previous than gold, your time.

If you struggle to relax without a screen, here are my top 5 suggestions for you to try:

  1. No phone in the bedroom. Leave it to charge in some other room in your house at night. Put it down an hour before bed, and let any messages, videos or posts wait until the morning. Once in bed, pick up that book you’ve had sitting on your nightstand.
  1. Go outside. This could include a walk around your neighborhood with a friend or your spouse after work, or even a 10-minute stroll at lunch time. Make time to get outside and breathe in the fresh outdoor air.
  1. Have a screen-free night. With your spouse or kids—no TV, no tablets, no smart phones. Light a small candle at dinner and turn the lights down. Take turns sharing the best parts of your day. You might be amazed at how much you, your spouse, and especially your kids love this time together.
  1. Plan only one TV night during the week. Pick one or two shows and intentionally schedule time for them. When the shows are over, turn off the TV (or tablet, or phone). Don’t let this time turn into a TV or social media binge.
  1. Listen. If you’re spending time with someone, don’t let a screen steal the joy. If you’re chatting with your kids or your spouse, focus on the conversation. If the TV is on, don’t let it overpower this special time to talk. Turn it off. If the phone is a distraction, put it away. There are very few actual emergencies in life, and you’ll hear the phone ring if there is one.

Watch your time, not your screen.

You’ll soon feel better and more relaxed.

Wishing you all the best in your screen-free world!

Coach Brett

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