In partnership with

Tuesday

Welcome to Tuesday! In today’s newsletter:

• The benefits of taking a break from screens

• How our phones can impact us

• The one thing to keep on your desk to help you stay focused

• What you need to know to create healthy technology habits

The Benefits of Taking a Break From Screens

The moment we wake up, many of us begin scrolling on our phones. Throughout the day, we may spend 8 hours a day staring at a computer. We come home from work and watch TV. In between, we may mindlessly tap away on our devices. Before we go to sleep, the last thing we do is set our devices down on our nightstands.

• Improved sleep: Especially in the evening, not exposing ourselves to as much blue light can help our bodies regulate our circadian rhythms better, which can, in turn, help us get a better night’s rest!

• Lower anxiety: Taking time away from our screens can lower anxiety in two ways: stepping away from social media can help us feel less comparative, and deepening our social connections instead of scrolling can be powerful.

• Embrace other things that bring you joy: Forcing yourself to put away your screens may lead you to reconnect with hobbies or discover a new one you love! This can help boost mood and help us feel more productive.

• Mindfulness: Not scrolling on our phones or depending on our devices at every free moment can help us embrace the present moment and be more mindful. We may become more aware of, in tune with, and appreciative of the world around us.

In case you need one, this is your sign to challenge yourself to take a break and limit your screen time!

How Our Phones Can Change Us

Phones are relatively new in the course of human history and technology, so there’s still so much we don’t know about how they impact us.

However, from the time we’ve had phones around, we have learned that our phones can change the way we think and feel.

One recent study found that people who simply worked with their phones next to them performed significantly less well than those whose phones were in another room.

Our devices can also impact our mental health and mood in a number of ways. Seeing people post about their lives may give us a sense of FOMO, or the fear of missing out. We may feel anxious over the content we post or things we consume or feel a general sense of anxiety or dread.

While there are some downsides to phones, they also can be great tools that improve us and our lives!

For example, they encourage us to learn and stay curious. While we may have had more limited resources of when and where we could gather information, we quite literally have a world of information at our fingertips at all times!

They also make it easy to stay connected with family and friends, which, when used mindfully, can be a great way to practice social self-care and give us a boost.

Try The Stress-Relieving Desk Toy Everyone is Raving About

Feeling stressed lately? Doom-scrolling? Try these must-have desk toys to stay calm & focused anytime, anywhere. The wildly satisfying smooshes, squishes, and ASMR-friendly clicking sounds of magnetic toys make them fun to play with and an irresistible addition to your home or office. These fidget toys are mess-free, tactile, and help with brainstorming. Let Speks help spark your creativity! Plus, they make the perfect gift. Use the promo code FIDGET for 25% off your order of $40+

Get 25% Off Speks Now

Thank you to Speks for sponsoring Note To Self. 

How To Create Healthy Technology Habits

While we want to be considerate of how we use our devices and set boundaries, technology isn’t a bad thing. However, it can be easy to develop unhealthy habits.

Luckily, creating a new routine with our devices and forming healthy habits can make a big difference in how we feel!

First, consider how your phone makes you feel, and ask yourself what you’d like to get differently from it. Do you feel indifferent toward your phone? Do you feel attached? Perhaps being on your devices makes you anxious. Tuning into how you feel when using your devices can tell you a lot about what habits you may want to form.

Next, set some boundaries. From limiting time spent on specific apps to setting a specific time in the evening when you’ll put your devices away, this is a great step to limit screen time and intentionally focus on other tasks or hobbies!

Other helpful steps can include going all-in and deleting apps you want to stop using as much, putting your phone on “do not disturb” when you have things you need to get done, and committing to using downtime for other tasks — like mindfulness, reading, chatting with a friend, and so forth!

Remember: forming habits doesn’t have to be all or nothing! With small, mindful steps, you can make progress that empowers you to be your best self.

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ Did You Know: The average internet user spends 391 minutes online each day. That's more than 6.5 hours!

• 🎁 Our Holiday Self-Care Picks: Don’t forget to check out our 2024 gift guide, a collection of thoughtful, wellness-focused products that help you feel your best, inside and out.

• 🙋🏼‍♀️ Snapshot Of The Day: We'd love to see moments from our readers lives that they are proud of! If you recently accomplished an achievement, experienced a joyful moment, or are proud of a picture you have taken, be sure to capture it on camera and send it to us for a chance to be featured next week! 

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: While spending time online is non-negotiable for many of us with our work, finding ways to step away from our screens on the weekends and in the evenings can help us unplug.

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!