Unplugging from social media and reconnecting nature
How can we take back our attention from social media? It’s not easy; for myself and I’m sure many others, the Internet is ever-present. Often I’ll find myself scrolling through Instagram without having had any conscious desire to do so.
It’s something I do when I’m bored, although, ironically, I think I become bored more frequently now that my brain has become accustomed to constant stimuli. It feels like its getting harder and harder to connect with the natural world, with its gradual unhurried pace.
This is somewhat alarming. I don’t want to live a life of constant distraction. I want to invest my time, energy, and attention in learning, creating, and connecting with people in meaningful ways, not only through likes and shares. And I want to experience nature in all its complexity, not only as a photo opportunity.
So what can be done? Here are five ideas for disconnecting from social media and reconnecting with nature.
“Give yourself a gift: the present moment.”
–Marcus Aurelius
1. GET OUTSIDE AND LEAVE THE PHONE AT HOME
The easiest way to free yourself from social media is to put physical space between yourself and your phone. After a few minutes, the hands stop searching for it, the ears stop half-listening for notifications, and the eyes become free to take in the scenery.
We’re so used to having our devices with us at all times that not having them can seem like a safety issue. Don’t panic, not so long ago it wasn’t even possible to take a call outside and people still managed to go for walks in the woods, hike, and go on big adventures.
If you’re taking a familiar route, you can get by just fine without a phone and there are maps available for most of the trails in the Lower Mainland area. Of course, you’ll want to take all the usual safety precautions, including going with a friend or telling someone of your plan, dressing properly, and bringing enough food and water. Even if it’s just for an errand or a walk around the neighborhood, leave the phone at home and enjoy the physical world.
2. DO MORE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU FORGET TO CHECK YOUR PHONE
You can’t tweet if you’re holding a paddle and you can’t scroll mindlessly if all your attention if focused on not tripping over roots. The pursuit of adventure and new challenges demands concentration. In our scatter-brained times, this is vital to our wellbeing.
You don’t have to be a mountaineer to heed the call of adventure. Maybe you’re interested in bird watching or foraging for chanterelles or scuba diving or fly-fishing. These are the types of pursuits that reward attention and time. More passive experiences like scrolling Twitter or watching television tend to offer diminishing returns. Sure, it’s fun at first, but soon it leads you in a bit of a zombie state. An avid bird watcher, by contrast, never gets tired of tweets.
3. GO OUTSIDE WITH GOOD COMPANY
Connal McNamara photo
Time spent outside and time spent with friends and families is time well spent. Go for a forest walk with a friend and you’ll undoubtedly find that the tenor of your conversation changes. It’s a much different experience than grabbing a coffee with the intention of catching up.
In natural spaces, silences are longer and less awkward. There is time for long, rambling conversations that aren’t concerned with achieving anything and yet these are the talks we often remember best.
4. USE A DISTRACTION BLOCKER
One solution to our tech addiction is…more technology. Freedom is an app that blocks other apps and websites. You can create block-lists and set the time for how long you want Freedom to do its thing. The company’s tagline sums it up: “Control distractions. Focus on what matters.”
It’s not free, but it can be useful for getting things done. In fact, I used Freedom while writing this blog post. (It’s amazing how distracting Instagram can be even while writing an article that’s all about the negative effects of social media.)
5. FOLLOW LEAVE NO TRACE’S GUIDELINES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA
If you’re still planning on snapping shots for Insta’, it is worth checking out the social media guide set out by the non-profit Leave No Trace. The organization encourages ethical behaviour in the outdoors. In their guide they offer suggestions for limiting impacts on fragile ecosystems and using social media as a tool to promote stewardship. Ultimately, “Leave No Trace is a spectrum and there are no rights or wrongs. It’s a framework for making good decisions about enjoying the outdoors responsibly, regardless of how one chooses to do so.”
Nijwam Swargiary photo
Taking back control
Even with all the downsides of social media, I find myself reluctant to delete my accounts. They’re just so ingrained in my life and, as someone who works in marketing, it’s nearly impossible to disconnect completely. They can also be fun and handy for staying in touch.
But the downsides have started to become harder to ignore. Personally, I want to be more mindful of how I use social media. I don’t want to default to checking my phone continually to get that small hit of dopamine, like a lab rat that has learned to push a button to receive food pellets. I want to go days without opening these apps. I want to connect with nature on its terms, not through a filter. It’s a work in progress.
How is social media impacting your experience of nature? We’d like to hear from you.
Contributed by Connal McNamara, ORCBC blogger.
