Being controlled by parents about using technology devices is one of the hardest things for teenagers. Every day, we play games like Fortnite, Rules of Survival, Minecraft, Candy Crush and more. We use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok daily. 45% of 2,750 teenagers that were surveyed, admitted bringing their mobiles to bed, according to the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC). Isn’t that crazy about how people addicted to their technology devices?
Well, in the past my parents have stopped me from using technology devices for three days because of the harmful screens that hurt my eyes. Have you ever imagine what it feels like to have your phone, computer, and even television away from you? I felt like I was trapped in a room with no electricity and internet which was really monotonous. That is what I’ve faced and because of that, now I’m going to help you overcome that problem by finding happiness without technology.
Daydream
Since you were born until now, I believe that you have at least daydreamed once. Can you recall what it feels like to daydream? From what I remember, from the last time that I fantasized was that I felt peaceful and pleased. As stated by the Psychologies magazine, “Like playing a film in our heads, daydreams can change our mood, they can relax or entertain us”. This shows that daydreaming can bring contentment to our mood. Therefore, why don’t you use this difficult time to enter a reverie about something that you enjoy, something that would make you satisfied?
Doing daydreaming can somehow divert you from the problem you’re facing. Now, let’s use a situation as an example. In our case, let’s say your parents stop you from using devices for a day. You don’t know what to do. So, you use that time to daydream about getting rich, for example. You first started by dreaming about becoming a billionaire, after that you continue to dream about what you want to do in that case. You then get satisfied with what you’re thinking, so you want to keep going on with what you are imagining. By doing that you will forget about the terrible time you’re facing. This is how daydreaming help you to find happiness without technology.
Now, to daydream peacefully, you might want to find somewhere that is comfortable. One of the places that I recommend you is your bedroom because you might want to fantasize for a long time and no one is there to irritate you. After finding your place, you can start creating your own story and adventure, creating the world that you want to live in and the memory you want to have. Also, after daydreaming for a long time, you might fall asleep which is good because it can reduce the amount of your difficult time by being asleep. By doing this I hope that you will feel peaceful and please just like I did.
Reading
Beside fantasizing, you can also do something else like reading a book. Perusing a book can benefit you in a lot of different ways such as gain more knowledge, improve your reading skill, not only distract you from your day without technology. However, you need to choose the right book to focus on because if you can’t concentrate on that book, you might feel boring. Which is not what you want? Plus, you can imagine yourself as the character in the book. Isn’t it sound exciting?
Hobbies
Everyone has their own hobbies. For example, I like dancing, learning and solving cubic puzzles, learning and playing musical instruments and more. Doing all these kinds of stuff, make me happy. Therefore, if you don’t want to read or daydream, you can do other things that you like. The author of “How Hobbies Make You Happier and Healthier” in the Life & Health Network has stated that one study showed that people who engage in hobbies enjoy better moods, feel more interested, and have less stress and lower heart rates. This means enjoying our hobby can make us feel pleasurable. Who knows if your hobby is playing guitar and you use that hard time to play guitar, you might also improve your skill in that category.
Reflection
After doing these kinds of things, having a reflection on those activities would help a lot whether you find those action delightful. These are some questions to guide you to do this reflection. Did you find those activities satisfying? Were you thinking of a phone, a computer or even other technology devices while doing these activities? If yes, why? Which activities do you like the most and why? Finally, I hope that you will find at least one of these activities gratifying. Remember if you can’t use technology devices, you can either daydreaming, reading or engaging in pastimes.
Sources:
- “Research: Teenage Use of Mobile Devices during the Night.” HMC, 6 Feb. 2017, www.hmc.org.uk/blog/research-teenage-use-mobile-devices-night/.
- Admin. “What Your Daydreams Reveal about You.” Psychologies, 9 Aug. 2018, www.psychologies.co.uk/self/what-your-daydreams-reveal-about-you.html.
- Jauwena, Grace. “How Hobbies Make You Happier And Healthier.” Life & Health Network, 13 Aug. 2018, lifeandhealth.org/lifestyle/how-hobbies-make-you-happier-and-healthier/1411136.html.