The weather is warming up and while everything is slowly changing into something beautiful and warmer, you are still staring at the screen of your phone. Though not many of you want to admit it, it’s true. You are addicted to your phone. And though, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it isn’t a great thing either. However, this is one habit that can be ditched by putting in a few minutes of every day, along with the help of your all-time favourite beverage- green tea.
According to research from the media analytics company comScore, the average adult spends about 2 hours and 51 minutes on their smartphone every single day. To put it in a comparison, that is about 36% more time than what any of you spend eating or drinking. In other words, if you’ve ever questioned that strange twitchy feeling you feel when you’ve been away from the phone for more than fifteen minutes, then you know the answer.
What is a Digital Detox with Green Tea?
A digital detox, or a ‘digitox’, is a term that you will hear every second human babble, hoping to turn a new leaf. But a digital detox with green tea? Now that’s something you rarely get to hear.
An ingredient that has been used across the board for over 5000 years, green tea is a natural remedy for the body, mind and soul. Green tea is a beverage that helps you reconnect with yourself. It is a pick-me-up that helps you rekindle the focus and awareness of your mind, all the while rejuvenating and soothing the body and soul.
So, what’s a better way to disconnect from technology and reconnect with yourself, than with a steaming hot cup of green tea?
The moments you spend with your cup of green tea can be used to stay away from the temptation of tapping on a notification. It would be a wonderful opportunity to pull out a book you’ve been dying to read or maybe write down about your day in your journal. Green tea can become a companion in your daily journey to detox from technology as well as from the toxins within your body.
5 Essential Mantras for a ‘Digitox’ with Green Tea
1: Dismiss Your Smartphone Before Bed
The relationship between you and your smartphone has turned somewhat toxic. It’s time for a timeout. Put your phone or iPad away from the reach of your fidgeting fingers. Don’t put it on your nightstand, or your dresser, right next to your bed. Instead, make your tech comfortable either on the couch or a far off study table. And before you sleep, indulge in a cup of Nidra by ChaiSpa. This melange of green tea and herbal ingredients is a wonderful bedtime drink. The few minutes that you spend steeping and drinking this tea can be easily utilised to gather your thoughts before going to bed. It is always better and easier to go to bed without scrolling through your smartphone at the end. The medley of online content often stimulates your brains to think over it, hindering our sleep cycles. Therefore it is better to stay away from your phone or any other form of technology before going to bed, so that you can avoid the unwanted train of thoughts that wreck your peaceful sleep.
2: Declutter Your Email
Though this isn’t essentially a complete time out from tech, it is an important step when you’re planning to do a digital detox. Rather than losing yourself in the depths of endless emails early in the morning, use this opportunity to declutter your e-mails. Brew yourself a strong cup of Shuddhi and detoxify your body and inbox. Rather than selecting and deleting each unwanted email, unsubscribe to several automated e-mails at once. This way you’ll spend less time getting bombed with unwanted (and sometimes fake) information. While you brew and drink your tea, use this time to organise your newsletters and filter the information you want to receive every day. Same goes for social media. Unsubscribe to irrelevant pages and people whose posts are unnecessary for you. Try doing it only once, and you will notice how such actions can make you spend less time online, swimming between gibberish.
3: Step Out and Soak in that Spring Sun
The best thing about March is the mellow spring sun and the sweet cool draft of air. This is a great time to stop being the seasonal vampire and step out of the comfort of indoors. Go for a nature-filled walk, or just sit outside and work on your natural tan, while sipping on a bitter-sweet cup of green tea. And while you do this, leave your phone indoors, because neither does it need to ‘sweat it out’ nor does it need to work on its ‘sunkissed skin’. This way, you could resist the urge to post a random story on social media and let the world know that you’re reconnecting with nature- because that just kills the purpose of your detox. Similarly, you could do your workouts outside. Before you workout, just drink a cup of Spoorti, so that not only do you get the energy to sweat out a few extra grams but also stay hydrated throughout.
4: Share a Conversation, Not a Meme
The concept of ‘socialising’ has changed drastically over the years. Initially, it meant stepping out of your comfort zone and making new friends through general conversation. However, it’s the age of messengers and dating apps. This needs to change. Meet your friends and family over a cup of green tea. It’s time to put down your phone and talk! Stop showing each other random memes and old photographs when you meet face to face. Instead, lift your eyes up and look at each other. Utilise this time to stay away from your smartphones and just exchange conversation. You will not only strengthen your bond with the other person, but a technology-free conversation along with a cup of tea will leave you feeling refreshed.
5: Start a Tech-Free Hobby
This is the mantra of surviving today while trying to stay sane. It is an unsaid law of nature that when you live a life constantly surrounded by technology, it is essential to unwind, without the input of technology in it. To truly unravel, you need to start a hobby which helps you steer clear of your phones for a while. Start a journal, not on your phone but on a pretty notebook with a firm pen. Pick up scrapbooking, but not on mobile apps. Paint, write, cook, clean, organize, read, but not with the help of your smartphones. By starting a tech-free hobby, you give yourself a chance to spend some time away from the phone. This puts less strain on your eyes and your mind. And while you start or work on a hobby like this, let a nice warm cup of green tea, like Ananda to relax, accompany you.
These are just some of the few options for ‘digitoxing’ with green tea as a companion. If you’re unplugging during the suggested moments, it still leaves you with a lot of time to stick to your phones. However, it all depends on your willpower and your ability to tell yourself that you do not require to see the brightly lit screen of your phone during certain times.
Also, don’t feel down when you see your media feed flooded with pictures of people on fun weekends, getaways or parties. Because it is essential to remember that social media shows only the highlights of someone’s life. Tech allows people to choose a flawless picture, with the right filter and the perfect caption, so that everything looks awesome. Just remind yourself that you are not defined by your social media profile. Simply sit back, unplug, slow down, breathe and enjoy that smooth cup of green tea.
