Staying Present in the Moment

Staying Present in the Moment

Being in the presence of those whom we love is truly a gift that we should cherish. At times, we have the tendency to get distracted by our phones, which in turn takes us away from being present in the moment. Despite knowing the importance of staying physically and mentally present with those around us, we still find ourselves subconsciously preoccupied by our digital devices.

Although our digital dependence is usually a subconscious trait, it can still be overcome through the formation of new and healthy habits. Getting used to putting aside our phones, and being able to turn off our work notifications after office hours, are just some of the places where we can begin our change. To help us further with this, let’s take a look at some practices we can follow to stay present in the moment.

My Present is My Presence

Like a gift to those around us, our physical presence is in itself an act of communicating our interest to those with us. In this same way, when we are physically present but not mentally or emotionally available, we can come off as disinterested in the lives of our loved ones.

When we resist the urge to reply to a text message or to scroll through social media, we communicate the idea that those around us are important. Sometimes, the benefits of putting aside our phones aren’t so much so for us as much as it is for how we make those around us feel!

Keeping Phones Out of Sight & Mind

When it comes to staying mindfully present, one of the biggest struggles we might face is our reliance on social media to fill up the gaps between silence in conversation. As we spend time with others, there’ll be many instances where we may end up sitting in complete silence. In these times, we might feel tempted to reach for our phones and scroll through social media, however, we should really try our best to resist these urges.

When we control our phone usage, we provide our undivided attention, hence communicating our care and interest towards those around us. While it can be difficult to remain present even when there does not seem like much to be said, we allow ourselves to slowly overcome the habit of our subconscious digital dependence.

Leaving Work at the Desk

As work from home becomes the new norm for many of us, it becomes normal to view our homes as our office workspaces. Without a clear physical distinction, we end up with a blurred line between when we are to be working and when we are knocked off. The unfortunate consequence of this could result in us subconsciously working overtime, almost all the time.

Furthermore, the effects of these blurred lines have caused great dysfunction in recognising the hours that are meant for our own rest. As our homes transform into our new “offices”, it is almost as if we never leave our workplace. In this, we might find it harder to distinguish when work starts and when it ends.

To help us with this struggle, one method of after work relaxation is shutting off our phone notifications from work related affairs. When our work and personal time have too closely intertwined, it is important for us to have the courage to share our concerns and worries to our bosses and superiors. We should not feel a sense of irresponsibility when we are not working overtime as our time for rest and recuperation is necessary.

Speaking to figures of authority may sound intimidating, but recognising the underlying impact that overworking has on our mental and physical health is essential for. Having a healthy disengagement from work is important for our overall well-being, and it also helps us spend time in the present moment with those dearest to us.

Staying Present Helps Us Manage Stress

One of the many benefits of staying present in the moment is that it can help us distract ourselves from unwanted or unpleasant thoughts. By this, we can find ourselves with short-term relief from our stressors. Although we cannot hide from our stressors completely, when we acknowledge our fears and what triggers them, we allow ourselves to mindfully accept the situation at hand which is beneficial for us in the long run. Cultivating present-moment awareness could make it easier to cope with stressful events in the future.

When we become more used to living in the present moment, we find ourselves enjoying our time as our minds are fully focused on the conversation or activity that we are presently partaking in. The overall outcome of this is that it can lead to us recognising that we can be less dependent on our digital devices to keep us entertained, hence making it even easier to stay in the moment!

If you want to know more about the effects of stress on our health, have a read at our previous article here!

It is normal to find ourselves overly reliant on our digital devices for many different reasons in our day to day life. However, it is also very necessary for us to have a healthy disengagement from it as it comes with negative side effects on us and those around us alike. As we slowly build up our conscious awareness of our phone use, we can create little habits of discipline and hence, may find ourselves less attached to our gadgets.

Taking these little steps to creating change from small decisions in our lives, enables us to incorporate new habits in a manageable way. All in all, by following through with the changes mentioned in this article, we can slowly edge towards a more conscious and healthier digital detox!