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National Day of Unplugging

To Unplug or Not?

As Pandemic One Year Mark Approaches 

5 Ways to Find a Healthy Balance with Social Media

Tomorrow  is National Day of Unplugging

As we approach the one year mark of the pandemic, many are exhausted from national fatigue, especially when it comes to our digital health. Friday is National Unplugging Day, a time to carve out time to unplug, relax, reflect, be active and connect with loved ones. Digital wellness expert, Mark Ostach, said a day to unplug is needed more than ever. He recommends creating boundaries with your devices in order to focus on your mental health and emotional wellness. 

According to Ostach, digital wellness is a way to view the content in which you are exposed to and how it fits into your overall wellness. He compares digital wellness to our physical wellness.

“If you look at physical calories or a food pyramid, you know to eat your basic food groups and not to eat too many carbohydrates or too many sugars,” said Ostach. “Ideally, you’re maintaining your weight, feeling like you have a good level of energy and exercising. We need to start viewing our content through the lens of digital calories. If you’re feeling bloated from the news headlines, those digital calories often leave us feeling more sluggish and hungrier for more just moments later.” 

Some people chose to take a break from social media all together. Recently, Elon Musk announced he was taking a break from Twitter. Musk returned to Twitter 46 hours later.

“I don’t think anyone really notices if you were to take a digital fast from social media unless you’re Elon Musk,” adds Ostach. “Taking two days off social media is better than nothing. As you navigate your day on social media, just realize that everything you consume has a digital caloric value. If the digital calories you consume are headlines from a national news network and inflammatory posts from the “friends” in which you follow, these things often leave you feeling digitally bloated and malnourished (digitally speaking). If you can’t commit to stepping away from social media, then try to be more mindful of what you are consuming.”

Ostach helps people find the courage to connect—with themselves, their purpose, and with the people in their lives—both online and offline. Ostach’s goal is to restore energy and focus to organizations battling modern life’s non-stop pace and growing sense of disconnection. He’s done this with organizations like DTE, Consumers, Quicken Loans, MEDC, & Honigman, LLP, Thermo Fisher Scientific, BASF,  AllState, HItachi, and others. 

Ostach is on a mission to teach people healthy digital habits so they can improve their digital wellness and create deeper connections with things in life that matter most. 

Ostach Offers Five Ways to Improve your Digital Health:

  1. No digital gadgets at meal time. 
  2. Sleep device free. Get a real alarm clock! 
  3. Take a digital fast at least one hour a day. 
  4. Make eye contact when talking. 
  5. End your digital day one hour before bed. 

His best tip? Go outside & get some fresh air! Even if it’s taking a few extra moments on your porch when you get the mail.

Digital Wellness Expert Mark Ostach in the News:

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