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There’s No WiFi in the Forest, but You’ll Get a Stronger Connection

Woman on a swing

“The quieter you become the more you can hear.” ~Ram Dass

We live our lives at such a fast pace. We seem to be working more hours and juggling more tasks both at work and home, with no relenting.

As part of the technological age, we are connected 24/7, and we find it difficult to switch off.

It has changed the face of how we live and work. Expectations are higher, the pace of life is quickening, and we’re struggling to keep up.

In a world that encourages noise and busy-ness, we find it hard to be quiet and still.

I recently left a stressful job in the corporate world to regain balance in my life. I was so busy making a living that I’d forgotten to make a life, and my health was suffering as a result.

I am now an advocate for “slowing down to speed up.” Prioritizing relaxation and self-care makes me more alive and more effective, and it allows better decision-making, hence making life easier.

We have been conditioned by society to maximize every second of the day by doing something. Some people see relaxing as unproductive, wasting time, and even selfish if we’re taking time for ourselves.

But in this busy world it’s not just individuals that benefit from time out; our bosses, colleagues, friends, and family also reap the benefits when we’re rested and refreshed.

In the modern age we are overwhelmed by technology. It now dominates our homes and work-life and keeps us in touch with friends, families, and the world around the clock.

In the days before handheld devices, people could leave the office on Friday and not see their emails again until Monday morning. We would sit on bus and talk to one another rather than being lost in an iPad.

My former morning routine consisted of eating breakfast while checking Facebook, reading my personal and work emails (even though I was going to be in the office in less than an hour), and then watching the news on TV. A similar kind of routine would play out at the other end of the day over dinner.

I recently took three months off and spent time living in yoga ashrams and Buddhist temples where there was no TV and Internet.

Surprisingly, I found I didn’t miss it. It freed up so much of my time each day, time spent enjoying my meal, being present, noticing the birds in the trees, and talking to those around me.

The most amazing thing was when I returned to civilization and logged on to check the news, Facebook, and emails, I hadn’t really missed anything. But I’d gained so much more.

I’d experienced what I was doing. I’d not been distracted by petty stories that didn’t matter or that may have impacted my state of mind negatively. Most of all, my mind had become de-cluttered and focused, and I felt a certain clarity I enjoyed.

As a result of a technology fetish, we are spending more time inside. This is leading to an alarming vitamin D shortage in many developed nations, particularly in the northern hemisphere when we don’t get enough sunlight.

We no longer live off the land in rural areas. Many of us are confined to cities, living and working in concrete towers. As a result, we have lost touch with our connection with nature, which studies suggest is vital for our health.

We know how refreshing it feels to take a walk in the park or sit by a lake, and research is now showing it goes much further than that.

The connection we get from being in nature utilizes all the senses and brings clarity and focus, which is why sometimes when I was struggling for inspiration in the office or couldn’t solve a complex problem, it would help to take a stroll to clear my mind.

Many offices now use walking meetings as a way of improving health, creativity, and productivity. This is especially powerful in the technological age when emails and phones so often disrupt our concentration and cause breaks in our creativity.

UK charity Mind suggest that time in nature is beneficial for those with depression, as it enhances mood and self-esteem and reduces anger, confusion, and tension.

It has also been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce pain, and strengthen the immune system.

A study done involving patients recovering from gall bladder surgery in a hospital compared a group who had a view of nature outside their window to those without a view of nature.

This study found that those who looked out onto nature recovered quicker than those who didn’t.

At the same time as we are suffering from a lack of outdoor sunlight, we also need more exercise. Diseases like obesity and depression are at epidemic proportions, and still worsening. Research suggests that being outside more often could help on both counts.

According to recent studies, sitting is the new smoking, and hours at desks, in cars, or in front of the TV is damaging our health more than we realize.

It more than doubles your risk of diabetes and is linked with an increase in heart disease. In fact, inactivity is the fourth biggest killer of adults, according to the World Health Organization.

I’m not suggesting we should all go and live in caves on the top of a mountain, but I am an advocate for ensuring we have an opportunity to disconnect.

Maybe turn your work device off over the weekend, have a TV-free night each week, resolve not to check Facebook every day, or even better, take a technology break for a week, maybe when you go on your annual vacation, and see what it does for you.

Sometimes we need to disconnect so we can reconnect with our real selves and not give way to the many distractions in our lives. This brings the clarity we need to make good decisions and to listen to what we want and how we feel about the things that really matter.

So I urge you to switch off the TV, turn away from the computer screen, put down your phone, and get outside.

As the saying goes, there’s no Wi-Fi in the forest, but you’ll get a stronger connection.

Woman on a swing image via Shutterstock

About Jess Stuart

After a successful career in the corporate HR world Jess decided to follow her passion in Health and Wellness as a coach, speaker, and author. A qualified yoga instructor who has trained in Buddhist meditation and mindfulness, living and working in many countries Jess draws her life experience into her work to share the principles of health and happiness.

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Kelli Cooper

Hi Jess
Great post. I loved what you said about being too busy making a living you forgot to make a life. That is something I think a lot of us can relate to. It is deeply ingrained that we need money to be happy and that making as much as possible is what will make us successful, happy,etc..but it just ain’t true. Nothing wrong with wanting to be financially prosperous as it can give you the opportunity for enhanced self-expression in various ways, but when we make it the end goal, we are doomed

I agree that getting out in nature is a great way to slow down and center yourself. Taking a break from the electronic world can do wonders. As a blogger and writer, I spend a lot of time online, and I make sure to take those extended breaks away when it feels right intuitively.

Like you said, giving our mind and body some much needed nurturing will make us more productive and we can get more done in less time, and it just all flows better. Unfortunately, leading a stressed, hectic life has become some sort of badge of honor..I guess it makes us feel important perhaps.

Great stuff!

Martina

Jess, thank you for this reminder. I’m hanging on my phone way too often lately and it seems like I forgot a bit how it is to disconnect from technology and spend some time focusing on myself. It’s powerful…
Btw, I love the title. It made me smile 😉

Lanka

It’s not very authentic to steal a phrase from someone for the title of ‘your’ article. It kills me how people take credit for ideas that are not originally theirs!

Lori Deschene

Hi Lanka,

My name is Lori and I run this site. It’s a pleasure to e-meet you!

I chose to use this for the title, since it’s an anonymous quote and it nicely summarizes the message of the post. It didn’t occur to me that it would be seen as stealing, since this quote isn’t attributed to any specific person. If I am mistaken, please do let me know and I will credit the author.

Thanks so much,
Lori

Peace Within

“Sometimes we need to disconnect so we can reconnect with our real selves and not give way to the many distractions in our lives.” Thanks! So true!

Nicole/TheMadlabPost

“The part “I was so busy making a living that I’d forgotten to make a life” describes many of us in the western world pretty well, which is kinda alarming. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle and bustle of trying to stay afloat in a time where so many things demand our attention and the cost of living seems to be higher than ever, and growing. Getting in touch with one’s mortality can be an effective way to not float through life on autopilot, and instead, become present to enjoy as much as you can for as long as you can.

Jess Stuart

Thanks for the feedback Kelli, great to hear your views couldn’t agree more

Jess Stuart

Thanks Martina, technology is great but it can take over our lives sometimes, let me know how your disconnecting goes!

Jess Stuart

Good advice Nicole

Deborah Points

Superb article!
I so enjoy nature, and relish each and every moment I spend there. I live in a neighborhood that has tons of trees for that very reason. I grew up across from a park, and am so thankful for the opportunity to have been surrounded by that nourishment!

Jess Stuart

Thanks Rebecca. I too left the corporate world last year, it was also an unhealthy environment. It’s so important to look after ourselves and do what makes your heart sing. Best of luck 🙂

Shannon Crane

It’s a GREAT quote title, whoever came up with it!! Perfect for this article!

Jessica Blanchard

I love the title! It caught my eye because there is so much TRUTH in it.

Jessica Blanchard

HI Jess,
Besides sharing a first name, we also share a background in corporate work and the realization that it wasn’t right. I quit my corporate job back in 2004 to teach yoga in Thailand and travel to India. I never regretted the decision.

Now I run a yoga studio, have a child and write. And it’s easy to let technology take over my life! So I appreciated your article as a reminder to spend more time outside, unplugged! Best wishes to you on your adventures in life.

Jess Stuart

Hi Jess, sounds like we share a lot! Good on you for following your dreams, it takes courage but it’s always worth it. I’ve noticed in business and as a writer technology is critical but it always pays to have balance. Thanks for the feedback and best wishes

Don Karp

Its really about balance on a daily basis–like taking a morning hike and doing the internet stuff in the afternoon.

I love my brain

This is a wonderful article. I think technology is making us miss the important simple things in life. I believe it’s particularly unhealthy if you’re naturally introverted and often need a little more time to ‘recharge’ after so much connecting. I’m lucky enough to live in the countryside but I work in an office with no windows doing a thankless job where the pressure is on constantly with people always demanding things to be done yesterday and I often end up working late as a result. It’s not healthy and I plan to get out of this environment as soon as I can. Tinybuddha is giving me hope for a far better future! 🙂

Joel Scott

“Sitting is the new smoking”

Yes! Yes, it is. As quickly as nicotine can kill a person, so can inactivity. Being active doesn’t mean running and jumping as high as you can. It means taking walks, and moving around. In a world that preaches productivity, it is hard to be productive when you are dead in the ground.