Battling addiction to our phones, the internet, and social media feels like an impossible feat in our digital culture today. We’re estimated to check our phones over 2,500 times every day, with the most extreme users looking at their apps and messaging their friends over 5,000 times a day. The best way to overcome addiction is sometimes to quit cold turkey, but since our lives are tied to our phones that’s a hard method for people to adopt. As someone who relies on their phone for nearly everything to function during the day, I’ve gathered the best tips in my experience that helped wane my addiction to using my phone. While you’ll definitely feel the urge to monitor every incoming buzz, I promise that the mental clarity and peace of mind that staying off your phone brings will be totally worth it!

1. Millions of people say that fighting addiction to their smartphones is extremely difficult, but it doesn’t have to be if you make small changes every day. When surveyed, the majority of people agreed that it was “generally OK” to be glued to their smartphones doing mundane things like while walking down the street, commuting, or waiting throughout the day. While these moments don’t seem important, you could be missing the opportunity to soak in your natural environment and form new connections with people around you. Even just timing yourself for ten minutes to stay off the phone a few times a day will allow yourself to unplug from the constant notifications that never stop.
2. Social media can suck you in. It’s best to not get too caught up with your Instagram and Twitter feeds, as attractive as they are. According to a pioneer study presented by a professor at Korea University recently, researchers found that spending too much time on such platforms led to chemical imbalances in the brain. Individuals who were addicted to their smartphones had much higher levels of depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and insomnia as well. Those are alarming symptoms from just staring at a screen if you ask me. If you’re spending a lot of time thinking about your follower count, feel nervous not checking your feeds every hour, or can’t live without watching each new story from your friends, you might need a serious reality check.
3. Support groups provide great accountability. If you’ve felt like you can’t shake the strong urge to get off your device, seeking social forums online or groups in person are amazing to connect with people going through the same experience. Together, you can talk about why you have such an intense dependency on social media or checking messages and develop realistic ways to decrease it. You also will benefit from the feeling alone throughout the process, as research has found that the best results come from creating collaborative goals within a group and sticking closely to them. You’ll be less likely to give up as you won’t want to let down peers who are counting on you to succeed.
4. Turn off the sound. Constantly hearing a ding or incoming call only warrants the need to immediately check your phone. There’s nothing wrong with responding to a family member or friend, but once you’re already on the device you’ll be pulled into checking other apps, Facebook videos, and trending Snapchat filters while you’re at it. Before you know it, several minutes can pass by without even realizing it. Once you put your phone on silent, you’ll be able to concentrate on your present environment better. If you’re with another person, they’ll greatly appreciate feeling more valued as you can pay more attention to what they have to say. No one likes that guy or girl in the room who is constantly scrolling through their feet while something important is being discussed.
5. Utilize night mode once it’s late. By the time it gets closer to going to bed, turning your phone on this mode will disable any incoming notifications from disturbing your peace, focus, and most importantly, your needed sleep. Not only will you feel so much better by being well rested, but you won’t feel the drag of checking social media every ten minutes as you’re trying to drift away to sweet dreams. Studies actually prove that having the bright smartphone light in our face at night biologically prevents us from being primed for feeling tired enough to sleep as well. Treat your body well and unplug for its own sake!

Internet Addiction Self Help

If you need more resources to overcome addiction to your smartphone and social media, just doing some research online will you give you more than enough health reasons to deplug. From sleeping better, being less stressed, and having a great peace of mind, there are many benefits that come about as your phone is away in your pocket.

The advances that the human race has made and is continuing to make has always astonished me when I look back at where we were 10,000, 1000, and even 100 years ago. From creating fire from wood to sending a message 1,000,000 miles across the planet in less than 0.1 seconds, putting men on another planet and now telling a black box in the corner or your room that you want the lights to turn on in your house. So many excellent people have contributed to these major advances and we cannot thank them enough for making our lives better, simpler and safer every day. So when someone asks me “hey is it worth getting an Alexa?” my answer is yes. I am a huge fan of being a part of the technological revolution that is becoming more and more pronounced in our society every year.

The smart home market

There are so many new and innovative smart home devices that sometimes it can be an impossible choice. Understanding the intricate details between each and every one, and making the right choice for your lifestyle, is very tough for most people. We have advanced so fast that the cell phone is a simple concept to the younger generation, however it is completely alien to a lot of the oldest generation.

For the first time in our society, technology has created a stark divide between the age groups that inhabit this planet. To me, this is so intriguing that so many new creative and complex devices have been brought into the marketplace has confused the older generation. Not only this, but the technology sector is growing at an exponential pace. This is reflected in the bull market in the tech sector for the past nine years; it has mostly outperformed the S and P and the broader market with no signs of slowing. This is especially true with Amazon, with the release of the Amazon Echo a few years ago, and now their completely automated grocery store. When stores start to become automated, I definitely think it is time to start thinking about becoming smart home compatible. Also, augmented reality and artificial intelligence are on the brink of being injected into our everyday world, so smart home automation is almost becoming outdated in my opinion. Many homes own an Amazon Echo or some type of smart home device and it is making their lives much easier. The cost is very affordable to most and, as everyone knows, time is money. Something that can make your daily life around the house much easier is a sure winner in my book.  

Home automation options for beginners

A great way to start off home automation if you don’t feel like your understanding of technology is the best is a simple Echo Dot. This is Amazon’s entry speaker system and smart home device. It retails at around 50 dollars now in most stores, after flying off the shelves at a higher price when it first came out. These speakers have great sound quality and can answer many questions you have for it. All you have to do is say “Alexa…” and ask your question. Does it know the weather? Sure. How about the exact time in Guatemala? Definitely! Do you want it to read a bedtime story to your youngest because you had a hard day at work? Just download the app for it and Alexa will take it from there! These devices can also help around the house, from turning the lights on and off, setting alarms and playing the festive Christmas music you most certainly need for your next family Christmas.

Smart home automation is worth it

There is no question that getting into the swing of having a smart home is totally worth it. Not only will it make your life much simpler, it will definitely enhance your security if you can get the hang of it. You can start to close your doors from your smartphone, see who is at your front door at the TV and set alarms if an intruder gets into your house. So not only is a smart home just pretty cool, it can also bring you the peace of mind you have been waiting for. So don’t hold off any longer, go get that gadget you have always wanted. Trust me, it’s totally worth it!

Sometimes men can be hesitant when it comes to speaking about their mental health problems. They become very introverted and don’t want to talk about the issues they are experiencing. Not only can some men feel uncomfortable talking to a health professional about it, they feel uncomfortable talking to their friends and family.

There are many reasons this may happen. One may be that he is the head of the household with a family that is dependent on him, and he does not want his family to worry and stress about his health when he is the one supporting the family. Another reason may be that they do not want to seem incapable of their job of supporting their family, and they do not want to face the shame and guilt and imagine that their wives or children think they are weak.

A man typically takes pride in being a strong and powerful leader, especially in a family setting. Therefore, if he were to have anxiety issues, he may practice self-blame and self-doubt, and he struggles with not wanting his family to see him feeling weak and incompetent. Even if he is in need of support, he may decide to not speak a word.

However, if they eventually continue with this burden on their own and never reach out to someone about their anxiety issues it can have a serious and long lasting effect. As time goes by, their mental health can deteriorate more and more until it is too late. I would like to discuss some of the ways men can reach out to professionals and gain help, or if this is not an option. Shed light on many more methods and activities that can be used to release stress and anxiety from their everyday lives.

Physical activity for anxiety release

A great way to detach from the anxiety is to engage in physically strenuous activities. This means that depending on your age, physical ability and physical health, you can choose an activity appropriate for you that can help calm the mind.

Any time someone engages in activity, the body releases endorphins that are directly correlated with happiness. These endorphins can play a critical part in reversing the effects of anxiety in men. It stimulates the mind and body and invigorates them, leaving them feeling stronger, healthier and happier, ready to tackle any task life throws at them.

Along with this, another activity that is directly correlated with stress release and health is yoga. Doing yoga is a great way to stay healthy and relax the mind and body after a very stressful day. Yoga for men is something that is becoming more and more prominent in society as many more people are engaging in these activities. Yoga is a mix of strength work, flexibility and mediation. It includes a period for self-reflection and a moment to completely relax the body and relieve the tension and stresses of everyday life.

This is why it is the perfect mix of healthy activity to release the endorphins and provide peaceful reflection to calm the anxiety and slowly make it fade. Physical activity is one way to help deal with anxiety in men, but it isn’t the only way. Men struggling from more severe mental health issues or do not feel exercise is working for them should seek the help of a professional.

Reaching out when you feel like no one is there

Anxiety and depression disorders can most definitely be treated by a professional. Many people like to think that they have untreatable health problems and if you have one then it is just your fault. They believe that it is something that is self-endured and it is a tye of issue that you can snap out of easily just by doing things that make you happy.

This is not the way it works. These mental disorders are very serious and have led many good people, even some of the strongest willed people, to taking their own life. This is the nature of the disorder and leads people to think that they are not enough and not worthy. Anxiety in men can especially be alarming as men sometimes do not want to talk about these things. Keeping these types of disorders private can be the worst thing someone can do. If you think you or someone you know have one of these issues, you should reach out to someone right away, as these are life threatening in a lot of cases.  

Anxiety can be a killer

Many people do not realize the severity of these cases until it is too late. All you have to do is look at the stats of lives lost due to mental illnesses. It is awful to see and it is awful to know that it will continue unless many people change the way they view it. Anxiety disorders in men should not be judged and should not lead them to feel like they cannot speak about it. A man should feel entitled to not be plagued by any mental disorders and be able to speak freely about it and find the help they need. This does not make them lesser than any other person, in fact it makes them stronger when they overcome it. So the next time you think about mental illness, just know that some of the survivors could be some of the toughest people you will ever meet.

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight in a short time, you’ve got to think long and hard about where to get your advice. Your best friend could say to cut out all carbs, your gym partner tells you to chug water all day, your husband forces you to run every morning, or your Mom swears she’s found the magic vitamin to melt off the fat. In reality, how can you be sure any of these tips completely work? If you want to truly shed off the remaining pounds without excessively starving yourself, taking dangerous diet pills, or eating only protein bars, I’ve gathered the best tips for you.

Gathering advice from my own weight loss experience and tips from experienced nutritionists, here’s real world advice you can actually live stick to everyday without losing your mind. No Atkins, South Beach, or Ketogenic diet is necessary to feel stronger and healthier than before. Let’s walk through the variety of amazing foods to add nutrition to you diet, how often you should be eating, the wide benefits of stress relief, and how FDA banned supplements are never right option to get think fast.

1. The first piece of advice is avoid under eating to quickly shed fat. While cutting calories will indeed make you thinner within a few days, keeping up a malnourished diet is the fast track to worse health and establishing a lower metabolism. Expecting a “famine” of nutrition from being so deeply deprived, your body will stop burning enough calories to do extra activity and will actually increase its fat storage. Once you do eat, you’ll notice weight being put on much faster than usual as your body as grabbing whatever it can get to keep functioning like normal. Treating your body this way is no way to go about becoming lean and more confident over time.

1. Eat foods that are organic and highly rich in nutrients. This means to cut out anything that is highly processed like snacks and desserts that come in a box. Instead, look for foods that are fresh and found in the produce aisle like fruits, veggies, and nuts. To build up muscle, eat three servings of low fat protein throughout the day and pair it with carbohydrates like whole grains, potatoes, or brown rice. As for fats, look for items like coconut or olive oil, avocados, and almond butter. Make sure you can still reach your goals and satisfy your taste buds!
2. Make sure to exercise at least 4 times a week for 30 minutes or more. This increases your metabolism and helps your body break down fat quicker. Being active a big part of living a healthy life. There are so many ways to exercise, from recreational sports, lifting weights, yoga, swimming or even going on a brisk long walk can keep your body healthy.  Depending on your age the amount of activity required to stay healthy varies, so make sure to check with your doctor the recommendations he has for you.

So hopefully these tips will help you on your journey to losing weight and becoming the best version of you. Being healthy can sometimes be a matter of life and death, especially if the conditions become serious enough. Start getting in shape today with these three simple tips!