I love how technology connects us. I am able to work entirely from my laptop and have found my soul family through online groups, programmes and interactions. Also having my own family all over the world means I can connect with them when I want.

I remember when I first moved to the UK. I would have to buy phone cards which gave me a good rate to Kenya, and I’d use the phone box outside the halls of residence to make crackled, barely audible calls to my family once a week. If we had the technology that we do today, then I might not have felt so homesick and disconnected.

Technology truly is a blessing in many ways, but it’s also incredibly hard on us as human beings, and particularly sensitive people. Amongst some of the things like repetitive strain injury from too much use, and bad eyesight, it really doesn’t serve us to be on it all the time. I find I feel really wired, tired and dehydrated after too much laptop use. Also, I have noticed I get addicted to checking things like my Instagram – there are times when my hand reaches over to pick up my phone constantly throughout the day unless I stop myself. It’s almost like it sucks me in and I lose control over who I am and what I need.

Taking a digital detox

How much time do you spend immersed in the digital world, be it surfing the web, on your phone, on social media sites, watching videos online? Be honest with yourself.

Tech can have a really negative influence on us in that it not only affects us physically, it also leads to comparing yourself to others’ highlights on social media. Let’s be honest, we tend to share more of our ‘good’ moments than our messy ones. This can leave you feeling ‘less than’, or ‘not good enough’ and totally disconnected from reality. It certainly does this to me at times.

I encourage you to take a digital detox that works for you. This may mean you take a few hours off each day, perhaps you detox from tech one whole day a week, or maybe it’s just turning off all your devices half an hour before you go to bed. Do what is right for you and where you are at.

This blog post is an excerpt taken from my book Embodied Business. You can get your own copy of Embodied here or anywhere you buy your books online.