Dry January, Veganuary, quitting smoking, going sugar free . . . the new year is a time for resolutions and vowing to cut down on all those things that you know are bad for you. For many of us that includes spending less hours disappearing into our smartphone screens which can negatively impact our productivity, leave us with less time to do the things we love and keep us from really connecting with those around us.

Have a look at Shine Offline’s Top Tips for simple but effective ways of managing your relationship with the tech in your life. We say simple . . . but from our own experience we know overcoming tech addiction is not easy and changing deeply ingrained habits and behaviours takes patience and perseverance. Ironic though it sounds, if you struggle with self-discipline you might find the best solution is an app.

Pomodoro Technique
If your smartphone habits are affecting your productivity it is worth looking at the Pomodoro technique. This time management tool predates mobile technology and was invented in the 80’s by Italian student Francesco Cirillo who used his Pomodoro tomato kitchen timer to set himself 25 minutes of focus free study time before taking a 5-minute break. This kept internal and external distractions at bay and helped him stay refreshed and not fatigued. We use this technique in the office using a Pomodoro Chrome extension but there are dozens of Pomodoro apps on your phone to help you do this. We like the Goodtime productivity timer.

This technique requires you to challenge yourself to stay off your phone, out of your inbox and focused on the allotted task. No excuses. If your lack of self-control stops you from rising to the challenge, or you find yourself unconsciously and habitually drawn to your device there are a variety of apps that can help. One of our favourites that does things a little differently is Forest.

FOREST – stay focused, be present
Forest challenges you to ‘put down your phone and focus on what is important in your life’. It works by encouraging you to resist temptation and take periods of abstinence from your phone.  You plant a tree in the app that starts as a little sapling. It will keep growing on your screen as long as you ignore your phone for the allotted time. If you cave in the tree withers and dies. Your trees make up a forest that becomes more varied and more lush the more trees you plant.  You can view this forest in the app along with the stats on your focused phone free time!  It’s a great one if you like to play games on your phone: think of an arboreal Tamagotchi in reverse.   The more trees you grow, the more credit you build that you can use to unlock different species of tree (I am currently working towards a cherry blossom – only 46 credits to go!).  The app also lets you pay with credits earned to plant real trees to help the environment. Amazing. The reason this app is so clever is it makes you care. ‘This will kill your cute, little tree. Are you sure you want to give up?’ it asks if you go to quit the application.  Awwwwww, who needs cat videos anyway?

OFFTIME
Offtime promises to let you ‘focus and find digital balance in a hyperconnected world’. Very simple but clever and effective, this app enables users to block everything that distracts them from whatever it is they are trying to focus on.  For a chosen period Offtime filters the apps on the smartphone, be it Facebook, gaming apps, emails, anything that you find distracting.  Crucially you can customise this to suit you and can block calls, texts and notifications that might disturb you but still select the people who you want to get through such as an important client, your elderly parent or childminder.

Like many apps out there it can also provide you with the intuitive analytics of your phone usage, enabling you to identify habits and learn what you are doing, when and for how long.

You can schedule your Offtime for certain times every day, for example to close down access between 10.00pm and 8.00am to stop that late-night Instagram habit and start the day without interruption from the outside world!

Like all apps that block access to your phone you can of course override this but you’ll be gently teased and encouraged to stick it out. If you like it when your apps have just a little bit of personality this is the perfect app for you.  Should you still wish to quit then you have to wait for a one minute count down before access is restored in case you should change your mind.

I absolutely love this app for protecting quality time with my family and friends and also focusing at work.  I think of it like someone removing the cookie jar from the kitchen unit and locking it in the garage.  Yeah sure the cookies are still there if you really want one, but you can’t suddenly find yourself mindlessly stuffing your face. You’ll have to go through some effort and battle with your conscience to get one.  And without access to those cookies all the time . . . you’ll start to forget they are there!

UNROLL.ME
I’m going to say it. Unroll.me has changed my working life. It has tamed my shouty inbox.

This free service is ideal if part of your problem with your smartphone usage or being distracted at work is constant interruptions from your email.  You do know you can turn off those notifications right?!  But that aside, I would recommend Unroll.me to everyone. It enables you to unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters and sign ups in bulk.  But much more than that it also organises those emails that you do wish to keep, including social media notifications and other automated mail, so that they are either still delivered in real time to your inbox or ‘rolled up’ and delivered in a single, easy to view email at the time of day of your choosing. I was amazed when I started using this, firstly by how many newsletters and subscriptions I had inadvertently signed up to along the years, but also how quiet my inbox became and the realisation of how distracting it had actually been.

POCKET
Pocket is a fantastic offline reading tool which allows you to take any articles you find online and save them in an accessible way so that they are ready to read when you are, even without wifi.  By saving content to read offline at a more suitable time you reduce the likelihood of falling down the rabbit hole of internet browsing and stopping you from what you really should or want to be doing.

Good luck! x

At Shine Offline we empower people to recognise the impact of distractions caused by smartphones and other technology on their wellbeing and productivity and to acknowledge the importance of allowing the mind to rest, rejuvenate and refocus.

‘Before I know it I’ve had a 30 minute break from work . . . ‘
Richard, a previous participant of our workshops, seeks advice to stop him getting sucked into lengthy internet browsing sessions.

Richard wrote:
‘My personal digital distractions tend to be articles from BBC News, football comment, fan blogs and business update websites. I can often find myself going through 8–10 different articles at a time, and before I know it I’ve had a 30 minute break from work.
Do you have any advice on how to catch myself doing this and to then stop?
Are there any internet browser monitoring apps you recommend where I could measure how much I’m doing of this?’

Dear Richard,

You are not alone
I fully understand the way you can get sucked into an internet black hole. We like to believe that we are all behaving with individual choice and freedom but in actuality whenever we go onto the internet our choices are manipulated by menus we did not choose in the first place. The internet is designed to distract and capture your attention, stimulate your brain to feel that it must react and keep clicking from one link to another.

One of the key things that we seek to do in our sessions is to help people question their own behaviours and acknowledge what issues they may have with digital distraction in their lives. The very fact that you recognise what your sticking points are is in itself is the first step to gaining control of your digital behaviours and regaining control.

Make some rules
Taking a 5 minute break from your work online is not in itself a bad thing. It could provide a much needed interruption to refresh your mind and it seems you are seeking out subjects that are of genuinely of interest to you. See if you can try and set yourself a time for your digital breaks, making simple rules and sticking to them can really break habits and make you aware of your behaviours. Frances Booth in her book The Distraction Trap suggests setting a timer for 5 minutes (or however long you are seeking ‘distraction’) and stop at that time to break the browsing habit. Or how about if it is just a break you are seeking you get up and put the kettle on instead, or grab a few minutes fresh air.

Read it later
If you want to read something but know it is not the best time or are able to catch yourself there are plenty of ‘read it later’ and read it offline apps that work both on smartphones and the major internet browsers. These apps will turn any web page into a clean view for reading now or later on your computer, smartphone, or tablet so get rid of all clutter, links and ads that can keep us distracted. Try Readability, Pocket or Instapaper.

Cold hard shock
If you’d like to shock yourself into reducing your digital distraction maybe some cold, hard stats would help. Time Stats tracks website stats and helps you to collect stats of the sites you visit. It’s quick to access and easy to use. Be Limitless is another app that easily identifies where your time is spent and gives productivity suggestions. Apps, such as QualityTime for Android and Moment for iOS monitor your phone usage and inform you just how many hours a day you’re spending on your phone. These apps also allow you to set alerts to remind you if you are using your phone too much.

Different techniques will work for different people but by simply understanding what you want from the internet when you go online, and more profoundly what the internet wants from you in trying to keep you there, will help you better manage your distractions and procrastination and seize back control of your time both in and out of work.

Good luck!

Anna

Are you addicted to your iPhone? Does your boss email you on a Saturday night? Can your girlfriend not stay off Facebook? Whatever issues you have managing technology email Anna and we’ll do what we can to help.

1. Leave your phone at the bedroom door
A 2014 study found that the average smartphone user reaches for their phone by 7.31am to check emails and social media. At Shine Offline we’ve invested in alarm clocks to remove the smartphone from the bedroom and found that leaving our phones off while we get up, dressed and eat breakfast makes for a better start to the day.

2. Out of sight, out of mind
If your smartphone is always within arm’s reach, the temptation is to check it every few minutes. Make sure there are times you turn it off, put it in a drawer, your work bag or even a sock! Make some rules about your phone free time – a proper break for lunch, to focus on an important deadline, kid’s bedtime.

3. Turn off notifications and use ‘flight mode’
If the apps on your phone are set to alert you to emails, social media and every time there is a bid on your old sofa on eBay then you will be distracted by it all day. Turn the default notifications off or even remove certain apps from your phone altogether. Make use of ‘flight mode’ and stop texts and calls coming through.

4. Good old fashioned pen and paper
Any questions on any topic can now be answered through the power of Google. Amazing. But the distraction of constantly going online can get in the way of a productive day. The solution is simple. Carry a small notepad and pen and every time something pops up that requires you to go online resist the temptation of doing it there and then. Start a list and a few times a day go online to action it.

5. Have designated online time
Rather than leaving your inbox and half a dozen browsers open on your computer all day, create certain time frames to be online. That includes deciding a certain number of times a day to check your email as well as designated admin time. Write yourself a task list for the next day, and at the start of the working day tackle your most important tasks before you open your inbox. It takes discipline but you’ll be surprised how productively your day can start and how clearer your mind can be. Be brave and experiment – you’ll soon find what works best for you.

6. Be mindful and reclaim the pause in your day
When we are constantly distracted by technology we are never fully present in the moment. At Shine Offline meditation offers a solution giving a break from constant bombardment of information and some space back to focus on and what is important. Resist the temptation to automatically reach for your phone every time you are sat on a bus, in your lunch break or waiting for an appointment. Try and be mindful and break that habit. Instead of looking at your phone on your commute, read a book, look out of the window or just close your eyes and breathe.

Like thousands of others I have signed up to a Spring marathon and launched into 2016 with a training plan to get me to the start mentally and physically prepared for the 26.2 miles ahead. Part of that plan is to run naked more often.

Yup, you read right. NAKED.

No, no, not actually no-clothes-naked. That would be streaking and no one needs to see that. Besides it’s a bit chilly this time of year and I’d have nowhere to keep my house key.

Running naked is a term meaning ditching the technology, just lacing up your shoes and heading out the door into the elements like it is 1995. Radical eh? Well to many and certainly to me – yes!

Technology continues to permeate every aspect of our lives, and wearable running tech is big business. There are GPS watches, heart rate monitors, trainer inserts, head cams not to mention a dizzying array of phone apps to tell us how fast, how far, calories burnt, to improve cadence, pre-programme training, plan routes, navigate . . . . And if you need an incentive to up your pace, there is even an app placing runners in a zombie apocalypse world pursued by the undead.

The undead aside (there are other blogs for that), how much does all this technology really enhance your run, your performance and crucially does it have an impact on the sense of escapism many runners seek when they reach for their trainers?

Since joining the Shine Offline team I have been thinking more and more about my own reliance and interaction with the technology in my life.

There is always ‘an app for that’ and technology to make life simpler and less stressful. But does it? When in my life is technology beneficial and when might it be an idea to take a break and go back to basics: walking across the office to talk to a colleague rather than emailing? Having an alarm clock by the bed not a mobile? . . . What about running without a GPS watch?

On a recent social evening run with my Bearcat running club friends we had a 6-mile loop mapped out that started and ended at a pub (a frequent occurrence – I do love my running club!) As we approached the end of our route and the promise of a refreshing pint we realised we had in fact only run 5.9 miles. So what did we do? We ran a 100 metres or so up the road and back so we could all stop our watches at exactly 6 miles. A few months ago this would not have struck me as bizarre in the slightest. Many an odd look have I had from neighbours as I have zigzagged outside my house so I can clock up a precise number of miles.

The last time I ran a marathon was in 2007. I had an ipod so that Dolly Parton could keep me company on long runs (don’t judge me) and a simple stop watch. My training runs I ran for time on my feet, perceived effort and estimated distance. I didn’t have a clue how far or fast I was actually running. In recent years I have tried to get back to marathon running (and failed, more of that later) and have marvelled at the tech available to me from my basic Garmin watch and an inexpensive app on my phone. The operations, organisation and social aspect of my wonderful running club are run through Facebook and I am also part of an online community of female runners. This has kept me motivated, provided structure, built friendships and let me better understand my running.

But can you have too much of a good thing? For me, the answer is yes and I think this has had both performance and psychological consequences.

Let’s start with performance
It certainly would not be true to blame my scuppered 2015 marathon plans entirely on technology, but one thing for certain is I got carried away in January, I over trained and I became injured. And technology played a part in that. I set a pace on my watch so it would beep if I dropped below a certain speed. I became obsessed with building up online data through my Garmin as evidence to myself that I was on track. I was over concerned about the training progress of running friends on social media, how long and fast their runs were and I was swept into a Facebook 100-mile challenge. I was training my body, but my head was full of noise, data, the nagging beeping of my watch and the ping of social media. I was out of tune with my body so rather than recognising the warning signs I ran myself into injury.

And then in September last year a funny thing happened. By then injury free I was at the start line of Richmond Running Festival Half marathon. It was a beautiful morning, in Kew Gardens and there I am fussing and waving my left arm frantically in the air and cursing my Garmin as it fails to pick up a signal. It was an anxious start to the race as I was forced to run ‘naked’. How could I tell if I was running fast enough to reach my goal? What if I had set out too fast and would burn myself out? How could I possibly pace myself? But after the first mile I settled into a natural rhythm, got my game face on and ran my ass off. The result? I was shocked to find out I took seven minutes off my previous best time.

Psychological
But running for me is not just about performance. Yes, I set myself goals, but primarily when I run whether alone or in company I do so to get out in nature, to feel the air in my lungs, the strength in my limbs, to leave all the stresses and challenges of daily life behind and escape for a short time. I want to run to that point when the endorphins kick in and all that positive brain stuff happens.

However, in recent times, even when just taking a short ‘runch break’ in a busy working day, I would step out of the door and fuss about the GPS on my watch, check Spotify had downloaded, worry about phone battery, were my Bluetooth headphones connecting and on occasion start my Runtastic app as GPS back up. After all, how could I be sure I had actually run at all without the data to back it up? Calls and emails might interrupt a run, and when I stopped for recovery I would have checked my inbox before getting back in the door as well as reviewing my running stats, uploading the data and deciding whether to share on social media.

I disconnected from nothing. There was no escapism, no sanctuary. I took everything I sought to escape and zipped it in my pocket.

Running naked
The realisation that my tech use whilst running might have an impact on both my happiness and my performance was a big one.

It is an interesting term ‘running naked’. It suggests something daring and radical but also suggests vulnerability. Taking both my phone and watch was a habit, something I was doing automatically without even thinking. And yet the conscious decision to leave them at home even for a short run was surprisingly hard to do. But I am so glad I did!

It really is liberating to get out there and not have to think about your watch or phone! My running feels more focused, I am more aware of my breathing, my form, the world around me and I have space to think again.

I had a joyful moment pausing in Richmond Park early one morning and enjoying the tranquility, the outline of the stags on the sky and a heron by the pond. I reached for my phone and had a pang of regret that I did not have it with me. But this memory has stayed with me, as an experience for its own sake and not as a photo opportunity to tweak and enhance and share on www.

More and more often these days I am deciding to leave for a run with nothing but my oyster card and a house key. Maybe a fiver for emergency haribos.

Finding the right balance – who is running this show anyway?
Don’t get me wrong, I certainly have not ditched the technology completely and there is no question it offers enormous resources when training for my marathon. In my experience though you can have too much of a good thing, so I am seeking to find the right balance: listening to my body more, simplifying things and trying to use technology in a more mindful way.

For routes and distances I already know I run tech free and run for effort. New routes I map out in advance on WalkJogRun (www.walkjogrun.net) and on the occasions I do wish to make use of GPS I use a phone app, make sure that it is on flight mode and tucked away with the sound turned off. This way I can access the run data when needed but I can with as few distractions as possible JUST RUN!

I have every intention of being at on the start line of the Brighton marathon this year. I may even leave my watch on the bedside table!

Anna
X

At Shine Offline we value the role of digital technology in our lives and are working to assist people in using it more mindfully as opposed to not using it at all. By questioning our relationship with technology, changing our habits and setting a Shining example to those around us, we can start to really reconnect with ourselves and others and live a better, more balanced life.
www.shineoffline.com

Welcome to Shine Offline and to our first blogpost. As a starter, we thought it made sense to give you a bit of background on the company. My name is Laura Willis and I am the founder of Shine Offline. Shine Offline has gone from being a notion, to a full-fledged idea, to something real in a very short space of time. And it’s all happened really quickly for a reason. Firstly, my own drive and desire to get it off the ground and keep my own momentum going. But secondly, and more importantly, the reaction I have had from people when I tell them about it.

Everyone I have spoken to has their own take on the subject. Most people acknowledge that they are on their smartphones too much, but aren’t quite sure how to reduce it. Others get frustrated at friends and family members who allow digital tech to butt in on precious time they have together. Others are concerned about their kids and guidance around how technology can play a positive role in their lives. And everyone who uses email for their work feels they are constantly connected to the office and that what was once perceived as a perk – the free blackberry or smartphone you get with your promotion – is actually a ball and chain.

People are burning out. They go on holiday but they don’t take the break they need.  They are online, checking their work emails. Their body is in Ibiza but their head is in the office. They aren’t taking the chance to re-charge and as a result they are reaching breaking point.

This is something I can definitely relate to, although my burn out was self-imposed as opposed to thrust upon me. As a self-employed PR and Marketing Consultant I was hooked on my smartphone and emails. Fear of missing out on social media wasn’t really a problem for me but when it came to my work I was constantly preoccupied with refreshing my email to see who wanted a piece of me or wanted to tell me something that would help me in my work. I abused the way I used email and replaced vital conversation in a communications role with emails. And then it became a vicious circle of sending, checking, sending, checking. And because I was constantly checking for emails on my phone, other mobile distractions preoccupied me too. 

As life took its toll and the balance between work and home became untenable I made some changes. I came off social media. I took emails off my phone. I started to use the flight mode. I kept the phone out of the bedroom. I called people rather than emailed if I just had a question for them.  This wasn’t always very well received as people were using their emails to manage their day and had no time to speak to someone!

And then I became a mum and my world changed beyond belief. I was now juggling numerous projects and was living in this constant state of grey, distracted by my phone and finding it hard to decipher where work stopped and home started.

As my daughter started to become more aware of what was going on around her I became increasingly aware of the importance of me being present. She, or whoever I am with face to face at any given time, is my top priority. It says a lot to someone when you are trying to engage with them and they are constantly distracted by their phone. I don’t matter to them. They would rather be doing something else. What I have to say to them isn’t important.

Something had to give and I hit crisis point. Lower than I’d ever been and overwhelmed beyond belief I sought help from my GP.  I had dabbled on and off with meditation for a few years since my father had died, and my doctor suggested that I look for a local group that I could meditate with regularly as a way of managing the anxiety I was experiencing.  And that’s when things started to really improve. The acknowledgement that I couldn’t sustain this connected, confused existence anymore became much clearer to me as I started to create some space to really see my thoughts through my meditation practice.

Taking time out on a regular basis to sit and focus on my breath, learn from some inspiring meditation teachers, and also look around me as I went about my day-to-day, started to have a profound impact on my wellbeing. And as I embarked on this new journey I noticed the number of people around me were still back where I had been, drowning in a sea of emails and social media updates. I started to gently share some of the ways I had found to get a handle on my digital tech usage with other people and discovered that some people weren’t really aware of what was happening to them. They were so far into this new “normal” way of living that they couldn’t see why it may not be the healthiest way to do things. And they started to thank me for my advice and tell me that it was helping them.

And so, a few months later, Shine Offline was born.

I feel incredibly passionate about what myself and my colleagues are in the process of developing and am so excited about the opportunity to share what I have learnt, and am still learning, with others. There is lots of research that tells us about the negative impacts of being contactable and online too much. There is also lots about the power of embracing the now and pausing and having a break from it. I know that at Shine Offline we can help to arm people with the knowledge, tools and guidance to take control of their own digital distractions and improve the quality of their lives.

And today – in the middle of launching a new business – how is this all working out? Well, I am very much on a journey and swimming against the stream is never easy. I still look at my phone a lot and need to remind myself to go to flight mode. I have to physically turn my laptop off to stop myself from checking my email. And now that I’m working in an office I get to leave the laptop there in the evenings – oh the joy of not being connected at home!

My dream? To sit in a meeting and no one has their phone on the table. To commute into London and be surrounded by people snoozing, meditating, reading their book or paper, chatting with a stranger or just staring out the window. To go out for lunch or dinner and not share the table with three iPhones. To go to the playpark on a Saturday morning and see lots of parents pushing their kids on the swing without a mobile phone in sight. Designated “No mobiles” zones in restaurants, bars and anywhere that people may be where they should be experiencing time together.  In my utopia there are laws to prevent businesses from contacting employees on annual leave. People are given the freedom from their work to really take a break.

That may be a bit much to ask but what I do know is that when we start to take control of something that has started to control us, and remove the constant distraction, that connections feels stronger, there’s a lightness in the air and people seem happier. So let’s look out of the window, let’s pause for a moment, let’s really taste our food on our lunch break. Because life is better with time offline. Let’s shine!

Laura xx

1.   Pause and Breathe.

Your Aunt Sarah is ranting about the dangers of heating up ready meals in the microwave.  Your three year old has just spilled a pricey bottle of port from Waitrose all over the carpet.  Your ex keeps sending you cryptic texts and your mother’s gift still hasn’t come in the post.

Pause and Breathe.

The Christmas period is filled with triggers and it isn’t surprising how many people find this time of year a bit stressful and challenging.  Taking a short mindful pause when things get overwhelming can be the difference between a reaction that you regret and a more measured response.

Take a moment to stand and feel your body.  Notice the sensations of your feet on the floor, of your clothing on your skin.  You aren’t setting out to change the way you’re feeling.  You’re just making space to connect with it.  Allow yourself to drop the story about whatever is driving you mad, even if only for a few seconds, and bring your attention to your breath and body.  When thoughts or stories return, just acknowledge them, and come back to the experience of the body standing and breathing.

A pause isn’t a solution to all of life’s ills but sometimes it can feel like a much needed oasis.   The hard part is choosing to do it.

2. Take advantage of the great outdoors.

The period between Christmas and New Year is a strange time warp.  The synergy of crap television, unlimited mince pies, and unscheduled open time can swallow up whole days that we promised ourselves we would spend getting stuff done.

Go outside and break the sink hole of cabin fever.  Even on a grey day, there is something to be gained from seeing the pigeons lined up on the railing by the river or a dark tree against a white sky.  Allow yourself to be absorbed by the light.  Breathe.  Squelch through mud.  Stop on occasion to look closely at something that catches your eye.

Most people report positive shifts in their mood as a result of spending time in nature.  Your television will still be there when you return.

3. Drink hot beverages with mindfulness.

We all need gentle reminders to come back to the moment… why not choose coffee and tea?  This season you will be sitting down with family and friends, catching up, eating food like it’s going out of style… and most likely drinking something soothing in a mug.

One of the ways we can ground ourselves in the present moment is through bringing our awareness to the raw sensory experience that is unfolding: sound, taste, smell, touch, and sight.

So can you set an intention this season to come back and ‘be here’ every time someone says, ‘fancy a cuppa?’  You don’t have to tell anyone that you’re tuning in to the warmth of the cup in your hands or the froth dissolving on your tongue… and you may just notice that the quality of the attention you give your friends and your family is vastly improved.

4.  Experiment with scheduling offline time.

You are well aware that being glued to your phone 24/7 isn’t the best idea. It’s really difficult when work is full on and you’ve got to get things done.  There just isn’t time.

But, over the festive season there may be some space for experimentation.  Can you cut out Facebook and Instagram for an entire day?  Could you turn your phone off and keep it in your pocket or your bag when you’re out for a meal with a friend?  What do you learn in the process?  What’s your experience of going offline? Play around and establish some new habits that work for you.

5.  Practice kindness and generosity.

All the emphasis on gift giving at this time of year is supposed to bring up a sense of generosity.  We’re remembering loved ones and showing them that we care… Right?  Well, it’s a lovely thought.  In practice, though, shopping for presents often makes the heart tighten.

This season why not practice random acts of kindness and generosity that have nothing to do with credit cards and bulging shopping bags.  Feel free to include yourself in the mix.  Smile at strangers in the street.  Say good morning.  Offer to open doors for mothers with large prams trying to squeeze into small cafes.  Can you be generous with your time and patience when a family member who is going through a difficult time dominates the conversation?

Studies show that people who practice generosity feel happier and more at ease.  Give it a go. Be creative.

Andrea xx