Five Habits you didn’t know you need it.

“To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else.”

- Emily Dickinson 

There is no denying that the civilization in 21^st civilisation is well aware of the boon of technology and its greatest creation the ‘Internet’. It doesn’t matter if you are a Millennial or Gen-Z, the internet is already ruling over every generation that exists or is upcoming. It’s fascinating to notice that the toddlers who don’t even know how to spell ‘APPLE’ can easily open the YouTube and turn the microphone on to command it to show their favourite cartoons. The supremacy of the internet and our ignorance of ourselves.

It would be utterly stupid to deny the pros of the internet, although i.e., the Globalisation, but how can we ignore the cons which are overshadowing our lives, the undoing of ourselves.

How can we ignore the fact that this is the generation who feels lack of something called peace. If a technology is invented to make something easy, to save some time then why the very nature of human will find another task to do in that saved time. I would love to know how this makes life easy when we aren’t spending those moment for our peace of mind.

Sadly Breathing has just become a physical phenomenon and our mind is so exhausted to comprehend what's exactly happening.

Insomnia, Anxiety, Depression ...   –  thy self created downfall.

In past few years, due to Covid-19, the line between physical and mental health was blurred out.  The truth is mental health was way more serious issue to address. It's just due to its idiosyncrasy of undetectability on sight, no one was taking it serious. It was hard to believe if there wasn't not anyone who was not effected by it.

As per National Crime Records Bureau, the statistics of happening suicide in 2018 is 10.2% which slightly increased in 2019 to 10.4%. However, after the wave of Covid-19 the percentage in 2020 has increased to 11.3%.

The data is not just a number in decimals but lives taken in lacs.

To summarize what I am trying to convey is that technology has not only changed our lives but also our habits. The mental peace is becoming extinct and we are turning into this soulless machine when we are supposed to create Robot(s) not turn into one. 

Everything is slipping away anyway as the sand do in hourglass, especially the things that make us feel human. So before you get lost in this enormous weight of grains, take a little leap of faith and recognize the sense of responsibility you owe to none other than yourselves.   

In this article, I am not stating something new that you didn’t know already but seeking your attention to these five habits you didn’t even know you need it.  

 

1.      Uninstall the Social Media

 

I am not saying it is the root of evil but it is also true that it's us who turned it into one. The addiction is not irreparable. But somehow we forgot to draw line in between of what’s real and what’s not.

Long gone those days, when a child wanted to become a doctor, scientist or teacher but now it’s about becoming an ‘Influencer’.

How? By lip-syncing the dialogues? or creating 15 second videos of nothing but showcasing your gait? I am not mocking. But don’t you think amidst the situation of war happening in every different part of the world, aren’t we supposed to be peacemakers? 

Sadly, the real life ambitions are forgotten in between.

Besides the very fact that once you tap on the app icon, after one swipe leads to another. The hours will slip by and we are exhausted to such extent that we fail to donate our time to the true pursuits of life.

To be honest, your eyes are supposed to watch the flying of birds, not some stranger dancing on Kacha Badam. smh.

Let me give you a small task: Delete Facebook/Instagram for a whole day or week maybe. You’ll notice that whenever you unlock your phone, somehow you end up looking for the app. Until realization drawn upon you. That is the sign of addiction. 

I am not telling you to delete it permanently. But take one step at a time and you’ll see the difference.

 

2.      No TV while eating food

I am not denying that I was one of the people who wouldn’t take a bite of food until found something to watch. It will take me few minutes and sometimes more until I choose movie or series worthy to watch and then I'd start eating my meal. I get so involved that I won't even remember the taste of it.

It took me sometime but this happens to be the best habit I ever embraced.

Most often we forgot that this body runs on food and I have realized if we do not give it enough attention, we shall reap what we sow.

The science behind it is that when we eat while watching TV or phone, our body take extra exertion. The eyes worked up and so the nutrients that we swallowed down to our stomach doesn’t reach in the body the way it’s supposed to. Because we already have worked up our mind and the invisible (radio) waves hitting our eyes are already feeding on us.

Try to have one time meal without working up your eyes. Chew bite by bite, savour every morsel. Let it flow inside the body. You may say by adapting this habit you’re taking one step towards self love.

 

3.      Make Art

 

I have read it somewhere quoted something like this ‘Sure it was already written by someone but not by you’.

 

So, make art. 

Out of your happiness, miseries, joy, grief….. just create something out of it. Give an hour of a day. Draw if you want to or write on paper, choose a mean to let it out. 

Trust me you feel lighter and a little bit more yourself. The best part is when you look back at your creation, you not only introspect but also see your growth.

From my personal experience, during Covid-19, I even made a small Journal because I wasn’t sure if I’ll survive those days (overdramatic myself). But now as I read it. It feels so personal and raw.

4.      Take time for Family

If you’re someone living with your parents or somewhere far away. Don’t be so indulge in your life that you fail to spend few moments with your family especially your parents. You might have not realized but as you’re growing up, they are also growing old. Talk with them. Hear stories of their youth. Plan small trips, share your moments with them and make memories.

Try it once and you’ll understand what I am talking about.

 

5.      No earphones while driving or walking

Everyone loves music. I, myself, am also fond of Kailash Kherr ‘Teri Deewani’ on repeat. But I always advise to never ever use earphones while driving, travelling through public transport or walking to somewhere alone. 

First and foremost for safety purpose, be attentive to your surrounding. Divided attention never leads anywhere but misery. Be familiar with the sense of responsibility which you owe to yourself.

 

In a nutshell,

I think when they say little actions can make big changes, I hope these little habits will help you in the way it did to me. One step at a time and you’ll realize these habits can do wonders.