Unplug, Have Fun, and Enjoy Your Family

By Donna Kostiew

We all have those people in our lives who just can’t seem to set any boundaries when it comes to technology, and it’s this connection to our gadgets that is causing a major disconnect with those we love. It has become harder and harder to separate our work lives from our personal lives because we aren’t leaving our work at work like we used to. The emails follow us in our phones and the texts can be non-stop some nights, usually keeping us busy until we close our eyes for sleep.

It’s become one of the worst habits that has developed over the years, and although the ease and accessibility to communicate can definitely be viewed as beneficial, there are some downsides to the amount of time that is being spent on these gadgets, and it’s affecting those we love. So consider these ideas for replacing at least a portion of that “gadget time” with your family instead. You may be surprised at how little you will miss having that phone in your hand.

Keep All Gadgets in a Designated Spot

Let’s be honest, when your phone or laptop is close by, it’s tempting to grab it and fall back into the old habits. Remember that saying “out of sight, out of mind”? By setting a specific place in the house for all technological items, a definite boundary is created, distractions are reduced, and the focus on family will be improved.

Just Talk

Whether the topic of discussion is good or not, there is always something to talk about. Even beyond the practical conversations that every family has, there are dreams to explore, hopes to share, and events in our lives that can turn any night into one filled with magical conversations. It’s possible that we may even get to know each other a little bit better than before, and how great would that be?

Play a Quick Game

‘Quick’ may be the key word here as I am not suggesting a three-hour fight-to-the-death for Boardwalk and Park Place, while simultaneously making your child cry, kind of game. The point is to just create some great fun together as a family. It doesn’t take much to make that connection and build deeper, more meaningful relationships.

Pull Out the Cookbooks

It’s so easy to not only spend a fun time together as a family by preparing and cooking a meal together, but to also accomplish something pretty important as well … dinner! This is a great way to work as a team, to listen to music and laugh while doing so, and to make a worthwhile mess in Mom’s eyes.

Pretty much, it’s all about balance, and once we can achieve that, we may be able to discover countless other ways in which our time could be better spent when we are with our families.

To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Denver, Colo.