SWITCH ON SWITCH OFF
Ashley Galliard
(This article by Ashley Galliard was published in SABPP Newsletter, July 2017
http://sabpp.co.za/switch-switch-off-ashley-galliard/)
We live in
exciting times! With exponential advances in technology we literally have the world
at our fingertips at the touch of a
button! Communications, global meetings and networking opportunities, VR gaming
and conferencing technology, a device and app for everything from data
analytics to calling a taxi to monitoring sleep patterns - we live in an age
where, if you can think it, you can do it!
Human beings
are hard wired to be most productive during cycles of full engagement with
activities followed by deep and complete rest. In other words, we are at our
best when we go from being switched on, to being switched off. These types of intermittent
bouts of stress followed by relaxation have numerous health benefits and
develop optimal brain function. The problem is, rather than encouraging
engagement with a task, in which we are present and focused on what we’re
doing, technology can easily overwhelm and distract us (as I write this I’m
listening to my cell phone beeping in the background and wondering who is
trying to get hold of me).
We find
ourselves in an almost surreal state in which we are seldom, if ever fully engaged
in our lives, as we haphazardly multitask, juggling ten balls in the air and
putting out fires. Our head space lives somewhere between the past and an
imagined future, we don’t engage with the present and so never really switch
on. At the same time, because of all the distractions, we never fully switch
off! So we’re in a sort of ‘standby mode’ wasting unnecessary energy on
distractions, struggling to switch on or off and slowly wearing ourselves down
to a frazzled standstill.
The detrimental effects of being in ‘standby
mode’
Just as our
bodies develop and change with exercise and applying a regular stimulus
(muscles adapt, grow, use energy more efficiently, bones remodel and
strengthen, neural pathways develop etc), so too, our brains develop and change
according to the stimulus applied. When we are fully engaged and present
(switched on), we develop neural pathways in higher brain centers responsible
for complex processing (eg frontal cortex). When we are distracted, jumping
from task to task, doing ‘half a job’ and putting out fires, our brain activity shifts towards the more
primitive limbic system responsible for the fight or flight response. Over
time, our brain becomes conditioned to be more anxious and distracted, as we
lose our ability to concentrate and organize our seemingly chaotic life. This chronic state of anxiety results in an
ongoing over supply of stress hormones that if not properly regulated cause a
multitude of health problems, from anxiety to depression and mood disorders,
obesity, heart disease, certain cancers, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis
and the list goes on.
In addition
to the stress response and the effects on our brains, we see all sorts of
health problems linked to too much time spent using smart phones and other
devises; from postural problems and chronic headaches to carpel tunnel
syndrome, to disturbed sleep patterns and sleep deprivation to burnout. Furthermore,
sedentary lifestyle patterns that develop with too much screen time add to the
toxic concoction resulting in chronic pain and the ever present threat of
lifestyle related chronic illness.
On a social
level, relationships can suffer as we are never really present in our
interactions-always having one eye on your smart phone or lap top when your
wife or child is trying to tell you about their day. It is not conducive to
building strong relationships and bonds and is a bad example to our kids. The
addictive nature of technology which from a brain chemistry perspective would
involve the same mechanisms as any other addiction - needing to get your fix to
stimulate the release of dopamine and other ”feel good” brain chemicals, puts
anyone at risk and particularly people who may be prone to addiction.
Since people
are any organizations biggest asset, if they are ill or in any way not
performing optimally, the wellbeing, (including the financial wellbeing) of the
organization is under threat. By some
estimates absenteeism costs the South African economy over 15 billion Rand a
year. It is estimated that presenteeism, a phenomenon in which employees are
present at work but unable to perform optimally due to ill health, stress,
burnout, distractions etc, by some estimates could cost our economy 4 times
that of absenteeism! In addition, rising
medical insurance costs add to the powerful argument for companies to do all
they can to keep their human capital healthy and switched on! Here are some
tips to practice yourself and promote in your company.
Five Daily habits to help you switch on and off
1.
Read
It comes as
no surprise that some of the world’s top CEO’s are avid readers, amongst them
Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. It’s estimated that
the average CEO reads between 4 and 5 books per month! According to Tom Corley author of rich habits:-
‘The daily success habits of wealthy individuals,’ ‘rich people’ read for
self-improvement, education and success. If you’re not an avid reader, start
with a few pages a day of anything you enjoy, go to a quiet place, switch off
your devices and free yourself from distractions. Reading will help you clear
the white noise in your head, take you out of standby mode and switch you on as
you engage with the task. It is only when you’re switched on that you know how
to switch off as your body and mind readjust to the natural cycles of
engagement and rest, and so reading plays an important role in switching off!
2.
Exercise
We are never
more present, in touch with the reality of the here and now, as when we’re exercising. It is also the most natural
response to stress, (the primitive fight or flight response requires a physical
action) and so is one of the most natural ways to regulate stress hormones,
promote the release and uptake of feel good endorphins and clear toxins from
the brain. Schedule time to do some exercise every day, anything you choose,
even if it’s only 5 minutes! It can be a 5 minute walk in the fresh air
reconnecting with nature, or 5 minutes of stretching or punching a bag,
anything you choose, but schedule it in your diary everyday at least 2 weeks in
advance, make it an appointment. Aim to increase your exercise over time, but
for now, commit to what you’re comfortable with. You will be amazed at how much
better you feel and how that 5 minutes can potentially catalyze great change.
3.
Create a ‘Priorities List’
Often we’re
“busy being busy.” We need to spend more time prioritizing our schedules and
activities. Some things are genuinely urgent and require a meeting or a quick
email response; other things we only
perceive to be urgent and can actually wait until tomorrow. Without actively prioritizing
your to do’s, often we can spend way too much time on relatively unimportant
matters, neglecting the really important matters that then become matters of
urgency and we end up pulling ‘all-nighters’ trying to get them finished,
putting out fires, slowly becoming more and more backlogged and caught up in
the chaos.
Whatever
system you may use, categorize work and life tasks into levels of importance,
from high to moderate and low and add your daily tasks into each category. Plan
a time frame for each activity and tick them off as you do them. Attend to the
important stuff first during work hours, so that after work, as often as
possible, anything you have to do is not of imminent importance- stuff you can do tomorrow. Finally, schedule
time to work quietly in solitude with minimum distractions.
4.
Make time for social interaction
Make a
conscious effort to switch off your devices whenever possible during family
time:- this includes smart phones, pc’s, television and the like, even if it’s just for an hour
or two. Eat dinner together, talk, have a laugh as a family or with friends,
connect with each other, bond. This will not only nurture your most important
relationships, it’s a stress release and it will take you out of standby mode,
switch you on, and is likely also to foster
healthier eating habits.
5.
Develop a night-time routine
Try these five
tips to help you fully switch off at night and start knowing what it is to get
a good night sleep again!
- Switch off technology 30 minutes before you go to bed. Artificial light affects melatonin production a chemical that assists with deep sleep.
- Nutrition: Eat a smaller supper portions (eat until 80% full) comprising vegetables minimally processed lean protein carbohydrates and fats. Some slow digesting carbohydrates can help you to feel sleepy. Reduce or eliminate caffeine intake after lunch time and reduce fluid intake at night (which may keep you up all night going to the toilet)
- Exercise: Practice slow, deep breathing, stretching or other gentle meditative exercise for a few minutes before bed time to release relaxation chemicals.
- Blackout: Make the room as dark as possible and go to bed at the same time every night (aim for at least 7 hours of sleep).
- Clear you mind: Right down everything that is on your mind before you go to bed to help you clear your mind and relax.
We can only
truly switch off when we are switched on and vice versa. The ability to switch on
and off is about returning to our natural cycles: being fully engaged with the
here and now, working hard and effectively, playing hard, appreciating people
and nature, and then deeply resting and recovering. Technology is a truly amazing
servant but a cruel master keeping us in a suspended state of standby.
Mastering technology and learning to control our on and off switch is key to
success, health and fulfillment and could just be our next phase of evolution!
Ashley Galliard July 2017
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