Washington State’s overall remote worker population is almost double the U.S. average, but that statistic was published back in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now with even more of us working from home or spending much more time at home in general, it seems only natural for our screen time to increase exponentially. If the stress of the COVID-19 crisis has taught us anything, it’s that self-care is a priority we have all been neglecting for far too long. So how do we use our increased technology time to our self-care advantage?
Gadgets like the Muse headband pairs with your phone and headphones to give you realtime feedback on your brain and body activity to improve your meditation and achieve the best results. Great for newcomers to meditation, this device helps you get in the zone, and stay in the zone.
Apps like Calm devote themselves to helping you meditate, be mindful, reduce stress, and improve sleep. Fill out their questionnaire to get a more personalized experience for you and your needs. At the very least this app designates uninterrupted time to breathe, listen to calming sounds and enjoy mellow visuals.
Smart beds like the Sleep Number 360 have got optimal sleep figured out. They’ve learned that getting up on the wrong side of the bed can be an everyday occurrence if the bed isn’t helping you get your best night’s sleep. This technologically advanced bed starts out with a gentle warming of your feet to help you fall asleep, followed by a delicate balancing of surface temperature to keep you comfortable all night long. It’s accompanying app measures your heart rate, breath rate and movement, tracks your sleep/wake cycles, and shows your sleep health over time. All this data helps you create the most quality sleep possible in a life-changing way. The app also lets you adjust firmness and comfort for your side of the bed as well as a discreet way to raise your partner’s head to help relieve pesky mild snoring. If you lose sleep, it won’t be because of your bed set up.
Smart watches like the Apple Watch and Garmin are a great one-stop shop to track all of your self-care boxes. Quick and short notifications help you decide if an alert is worth a look or if it can wait. Paired with reminders to stand up, take a break, or get some exercise, this can help limit your screen time if you feel it may be getting out of hand. These watches can monitor heart rate, sleep, and exercise to keep you on track for a happy and healthy lifestyle. In addition, you can set up your digital wallet to enable you to simplify your life by leaving your phone and wallet behind. Use the touchless pay option to purchase without touching germy cards or keypads.
Use your technology wisely. With so many tools right at our fingertips, it has never been easier to keep you on track for your ideal lifestyle. While it seems easy to overdo it, setting yourself up for success can actually have the opposite effect. If you’re still feeling like you need a break, set an alarm on your phone to do a screen-less activity. Try some light yoga, give a household pet some attention, or read a physical book for 15 – 30 minutes a day. Set another alarm for 15 minutes before bedtime to make sure you don’t look at your phone or computer before you go to sleep. This can help you wind down, fall asleep quicker, and stay asleep.