When I was in school in the 90s, and internet technology was nascent, I could remember every historical date and correlate it to the associated event with little effort. Fast forward to 2024 and the immersion in digitalism as a remote worker, I have to rack my brain to remember what I had for breakfast. 

While remote work provides me with the resources I need to thrive in my professional and personal life, it also has its downsides stemming from perpetual reliance on everything online. I am caught in a web of emails, virtual meetings, and endless notifications, which take a toll on my sleep habits, communication, memory, attention span, active listening skills, and overall physical and mental health. With the advent of ChatGPT and other AI platforms poised to think for me, I am afraid I’ll gradually lose my critical thinking, analytical, and observation skills, succumbing to reductionism and oversimplification. 

Much has been said about how remote workers must recognize the importance of a digital detox to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Now is the time for digital non-reliance efforts to preserve the power of your mind, mental and physical well-being, and interpersonal skills in this digital tug-of-war. 

What’s “Mindful” Digital Non-Reliance? 

This is a different kind of digital detox involving breaking free from the ease and convenience of technology. You will use your capabilities to complete your tasks remotely or plan a themed birthday party by yourself rather than asking ChatGPT to do the thinking for you. You will still use basic and necessary digital tools like Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Docs, collaborative tools like Outlook and MS Teams, and assistive and adaptive tools from different brands per your special needs as a remote worker. What you need to be mindful of are: 

• Utter dependency on AI tools like ChatGPT  
• Mindless reliance on multiple gadgets 
• Immersive usage of technology 
• Tech stress from keeping up with the latest technology and tackling technological pitfalls 

Mindful digital non-reliance requires you to be both connected and disconnected with technology. Let’s face it, remote workers can’t be completely detached from digitalism, however, reducing your reliance on technology can be the ultimate survivor hack to ensure that YOU are in charge. 

Benefits of “Mindful” Digital Non-Reliance 

Adopting Mindful Digital Non-Reliance facilitates a balanced life as it encourages intentional digital use, fostering awareness and self-regulation. It’s about reclaiming control, making conscious choices, and creating a more fulfilling, intentional life. By avoiding excessive digital dependence, individuals unlock enhanced well-being, increased productivity, and more meaningful connections. Here are some key benefits:  

1. Enhanced Sleep Quality 

Remote work offers unparalleled flexibility, however, taking your work to bed can affect your sleep and trigger a host of issues that affect your sleep quality. 

When you don’t get enough sleep due to constant screen exposure around your bedtime, you are more susceptible to memory loss, heart disease, fatigue, depression, obesity, stroke, and hypertension. The CDC and Sleep Foundation confirm this link between sleep and health. 

It’s highly recommended that you don’t see screens an hour before hitting the hay. Even the most productive remote worker must set boundaries and affirm, “I’ll do it first thing in the morning after a good night’s sleep.” 
 
You are also more prone to make mistakes if you force yourself to work at a time when you are supposed to be visiting slumberland. This may result in having to rectify those mistakes later, doubling the task while undermining good work ethics.  

So, leave work outside of bed. You can still have Outlook and MS Teams applications installed on your phone for urgent alerts, but discretion is advised – at least 7 hours of restful sleep is vital for good health, memory, and productivity. 

2. Improved Attention Span 

What if I told you that you now have a shorter attention span than the notoriously ill-focused goldfish? Goldfish can hold attention for a mere nine seconds. Heavily digitalized people now generally lose concentration after eight seconds. 

There is also an epidemic of people self-diagnosing themselves with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Making matters more concerning is a plethora of ADHD self-tests online while others see psychiatrists, worried if they have ADHD due to excessive social media usage. 

Instead of commuting to and from work, remote workers shuttle between a multitude of applications – collaborative tools (MS Teams, Skype, Zoom, Google Meet), AI platforms (ChatGPT, CopyAI, Undetectable AI), and text messaging applications (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram), engaging in overcommunication. Flitting between every application’s intended requirement is akin to scrolling down TikTok reels – it affects your attention span. 

Recently, my remote company endeavored a full migration to MS Teams – all communications and collaborations will be carried out there. It’s good for remote employees as it enhances single-mindedness and focus. 

With flexibility, remote workers can check their social media more frequently than on-site workers. This freedom poses the risk of “shattered attention.” Have you ever checked your Facebook and then forgotten the context of the task you were doing? It happens to the best of remote workers. That’s why it’s recommended not to have irrelevant tabs open on your work computer.  

Productivity trackers help – but only to an extent. There is no tracking of your digital activities outside of work. You can use social media usage-limiting applications. But that means you depend on digitalism to mitigate digital usage. The best thing to do is to practice self-awareness of your online engagements and consciously reduce them. 

3. Increased Memory Power  

With information overload and remote tasks in between, your memory can fade as brain fog settles in. If you find it difficult to remember things, cutting down on digital engagements can help. 

Divide everything you want to remember into bite-sized chunks and don’t stuff your brain with too much all at once. Relax to remember better and avoid mental clutter.  

Do you recall your teacher’s advice on how to remember lessons in school and the purpose of homework? It’s for revision, rereading, and reiteration – all three combine to strengthen your mental grasp. This old-school practice still hasn’t lost its charm. It’s great to have browser history, bookmarking, and online dictionaries saving your searches – USE them and REVISIT. Manually written notes are even better! 

Avoid multitasking. Many vouch for multitasking – that more gets done within a time frame. I was one of them. However, studies (and my experience) indicate that multitasking can negatively impact memory and cognitive performance. Furthermore, research suggests that the human brain is not well-suited for true multitasking. As a remote worker, don’t hop from one task to another. Instead, do the most urgent tasks first and then move to the other non-urgent ones. Don’t be afraid to tell your manager or colleagues that you will do the task they want done after you’re done with the task you’re doing currently, especially when the work isn’t urgent.  

Engage in activities stimulating the mind, such as sketching, writing, or simply daydreaming after unplugging from work to foster your memory, enhance creativity, and develop fresh perspectives. 

4. Strengthened Personal Connections 

My remote company has 100% of its staff from various countries working from home. Recently, a get-together was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where a meet-and-greet opportunity for Malaysian staff presented itself.  

The happiness and bond among colleagues were evident at the gathering. After a long time of interacting only through remote work applications, they were delighted to see and interact with each other in person. Humans are social animals, and we thrive through social connections.  
 
Remote work and social media allowed us to get to know people from other parts of the globe and enabled us to interact with them. But it’s equally important to form in-person connections with the people around us – neighbors, family members, and friends. 

Remote workers can’t go off the grid completely – the key is maintaining a healthy balance in connecting with people you can communicate with on-screen and those physically around you. Step outside the virtual realm and invest time in face-to-face interactions. Consolidating relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors is indispensable for maintaining a sense of community and emotional well-being. 

5. Heightened Sense of Fulfillment 

Self-fulfillment is a crucial part of well-being. Your unbroken connection to digitalism can detriment your sense of self-worth and dampen your spirit. 

When you unplug, apply full-fledged mindful digital non-reliance, and do things with analog and physical value. 

Hobbies like collecting stamps, gathering wildflowers to make dried and pressed flowers, making art, clamming, and playing traditional games are dying out with the advent of immersive video games, social media reels, and meme culture. 

You can alleviate remote work fatigue and rejuvenate your well-being by engaging in forgotten non-digital hobbies. Why not bring back board games? Playing a board game with a friend or family member can revive and stimulate strategic thinking and increase your remote work productivity. Rummage through your storeroom, grab the old maid cards stashed in a nook, and delight your family members with a fun game filled with laughter. You kill two birds with one stone this way – you strengthen your familial bond and relax your cluttered mind. Indeed, games are already online, but nothing beats the thrill of playing games physically. 

When remote workers rediscover or explore hobbies that don’t involve digital devices, they automatically allocate time to completely unplug and invigorate themselves, returning to work with a fresher, stronger mind, and boundless energy.  

Avoiding using AI to do your work entirely also gives you a sense of satisfaction. Keeping AI as your assistant to spark core ideas allows your creative juices to flow while stimulating lateral and critical thinking and sharpening cognition. When you use AI as a checking tool, opportunities to correct your mistakes and brush up on your weak points arise – seize them for your betterment in all areas while improving on your strengths.  

Conclusion 

In the digital age of remote work, a conscious effort to unplug is essential for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Digital detox is not about rejecting technology but rather about finding a harmonious relationship with it.  

By incorporating regular mindful digital non-reliance, remote workers can: 

• Restore and maintain their skills. 
• Become more self-reliant and creative. 
• Act just as well when technology isn’t available. 
• Be more aware of their physical surroundings. 
• Strike a balance between the digital and analog realms. 
• Enhance their well-being, and boost productivity. 

Embrace the power of mindful digital non-reliance and transform your remote work experience into a more sustainable, fulfilling, and enjoyable journey. 

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