The easiest way to get an entire month of your life back each year

The easiest way to get an entire month of your life back each yearThe easiest way to get an entire month of your life back each yearWe all know that we spend too much time on our phones, computers, tablets and more. But when it comes to unplugging, that challenge can feel easier said than done - and for several reasons. First, ditching tech for any amount of time pushes us out of our comfort zones. And second, we rarely set a specific digital detox time goal to follow.close dialog Advertisementclose dialog/* effects for .bx-campaign-1012257 *//* custom css .bx-campaign-1012257 */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-type-agilityzone .bx-close z-index 2-ms-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -ms-transform rotate(0deg) to -ms-transform rotate(360deg) -moz-keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from -moz-transform rotate(0deg) to -moz-transform rotate(360deg) -webkit-keyframes bx-anim-1 012257-spin from -webkit-transform rotate(0deg) to -webkit-transform rotate(360deg) keyframes bx-anim-1012257-spin from transform rotate(0deg) to transform rotate(360deg) bx-close-inside-1012257 top 0 right 0 /* KD - Remove padding from video wrapper and set height to 100% */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-row-video .bx-video-wrapper padding-top 0important height 100%.bx-custombx-campaign-1012257 bx-creative-1012257 .bx-wrap height auto/* KD - Change positioning to static as that was not necesaary and here you can adjust the height of the video element */.bx-custom.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-row-video .bx-video-wrapper video position static/* rendered styles .bx-campaign-1012257 */.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-creative *first-child width 100%.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-creative background-color transparentborder-style nonemax-width 900px.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257.bx-active-step-1 .bx-close stroke whitebackground-color blackborder-style solidborder-color whiteborder-width 1px.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-group-1012257-AFvXBOB padding 10pxanzeigegert blockwidth auto.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-J0EiS8Y width auto.bxc.bx-campaign-1012257 .bx-element-1012257-J0EiS8Y *first-child padding 2px 4pxfont-size 10pxcolor rgb(255, 255, 255)text-transform uppercasebackground-color rgb(0, 0, 0)background-color rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.34)So what if we changed that and set some clear parameters?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreFor instance, lets say you set a goal of turning off your devices two hours earlier each night, trading tech time for quality time with your partner, your friends or your family members. You can cook together, whip out some fun card and board games, or dive into some deeper catch-up conversation s youve been wanting to have. Or you can take some solo time and grab that book off your shelf that youve been meaning to read, or relax to the sounds of your favorite album. No matter what you choose, its surprisingly easy (and fun) to fill two hours with something other than a screen.But before you embark on this goal, do a little math. If you were to stick to this goal, unplugging for two hours a day, 365 days a year, youd end up getting 30 days worth of your life back. Thirty days Thats an entire month you can dedicate to a beloved hobby, a new passion, an important relationship, self-care and thats just in one year Think about how many more months of your life youd be able to live to the fullest if you kept to this lifestyle shift indefinitely.If that perspective doesnt motivate you to leave your phone on the charger more often, we dont know what will.So think about what kind of time goal could work for you, and then ask yourself how it pans out in the long run and what positi ve changes it can bring to your life. You can significantly benefit your mental health, sleep cycle, interpersonal relationships and connection with yourself all just by letting that digital tether loosen a little bit. And with the right plan in place, itll become that much easier.This article originally appeared on Swirled.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people