We all need a break

Firstly, sorry about the photo - I just couldn't resist a photo opp with Bells, as we had a lie in this weekend.

At Heights, we’re feeling a lot of overstimulation. Over the past year, we’ve been more online than ever, and staying at home means that the boundaries between work and rest, between digital and analogue, have been blurred. So we decided to do what we always do when we’re feeling introspective—talk to some experts.

We spoke to Dr Rachael Kent, a lecturer and researcher at King’s College, London, about how digital tech influences our lives, whether it’s a good thing, and what we should do about it. Digital detoxes are nothing new, but they’ve taken on a cruel irony since lockdowns became a thing. How can we separate ourselves from screens when they’re our window to the rest of the world?

We also heard from Alex Pang, founder of the Restful Company—a consultancy to Silicon Valley—and visiting academic at Stanford. He’s the author of several books about the theory and the history of rest, as well as how those ideas are applied in the modern world. 

Here’s a rundown of their tips for avoiding digital burnout ??

????? Separate digital work and leisure—it’s easy to scroll through emails when watching TV. Don’t fall for it.

?? Take your lunch break—you need a break, and you need to eat. Take the hour.

?? Leave your phone at home—going for a walk is a great opportunity to cut the cord (and if you need the step count, at least turn your data off).

?? Have a nap—it works better than another coffee, and you’ll be more productive afterwards.

?? Pay attention to what you eat—you don’t need us telling you how much of an impact the right nutrition can have on your mental wellbeing and performance.

You can listen to these podcasts here, or subscribe to the Braincare podcast wherever you get your podcasts.