"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes... including yourself."
-Anne Lamott
I came across this quote and thought it was cute, and it made me smile. It's also so, so true.
When you have an electronic device that just doesn't seem to function properly, it gets overheated, or too many apps running and it freezes... when nothing seems to work to get it to function the right way, we will just unplug it, turn it off for a few minutes. And miraculously, almost always, when we plug it back in or turn it on again, it works!
The same goes for us and our brains. Today more than ever before, we have access to so much technology. We can buy things at the touch of a button, or tell Alexa to look something up. We have any type of information we want at our fingertips, within seconds. We are connected to our friends and families on social media and know what their weekend plans were, or what they had for dinner last night. We are always connected, and always 'on'.
As much good that has come with technology, there is also negative effects that it has on us. Just like the electronics we use overheating and freezing, our minds can do the same. It's really important that we take time to take a break, log off, relax and unwind.
Taking time out for yourself away from technology and being connected is being productive and healthy. Sometimes we think when we aren't doing something, we are being lazy. But it is an essential requirement to leading a balanced, happy life.