175: 10 Ways to Wind Down Without Screen Time

Camille: 0:00

Sometimes when we're looking at the screens, it may seem like we're relaxing, but our brains can actually be overstimulated in a way that we don't actually know that keeps our minds in a revved up state. So you want to make an impact. You're thinking about starting a business, sharing your voice. How do women do it that handle motherhood, family, and still chase after those dreams? We'll listen each week as we dive into the stories of women who know. This is Call Me CEO. Hey everyone, it's Camille here with Call Me CEO. I am your host and we celebrate women building businesses here, specifically mothers. And as mothers, we get super overwhelmed. There's a lot going on. And so with these solo episodes, I like to keep them short and also have a very direct solution for you because you're busy and I appreciate you being here. And today is a little bit of a self-indulgent way for me to share with you something I'm working on, which is to have more downtime, purposeful downtime without the screen. Okay. It is so easy for me to pick up my phone, scroll so scroll social media, which listen, I've I have built a business with social media. I love it. I think it's awesome. But I also get trapped in doom scrolling sometime. A doom scroll is when you start by watching one short, cute dog video, a puppy video, a bird video, a funny, hilarious marriage coupled, funny dance, whatever, whatever the thing is. And then an hour or two rolls by and you're like, what happened? Why am I still here? How am I still watching or listening to this thing or whatever the thing is? So after a long day of running a business, being a mom, cooking dinner, helping with homework, or just trying to keep it all together, we need time to do something beyond the scroll, something that actually fills us up in a way that will have us giving back to ourselves and being able to give more to the people who we love around us. So if you are looking for ways to relax for real, let's dive into the 10 ways that we can relax without our screens. So first off, I want to say that most of us are looking for ways to relax. Really, when we reach for our phone or watch a TV show at the end of the day, it's because we're looking for an escape. We want a way to reset. And sometimes when we're looking at the screens, it may seem like we're relaxing, but our brains can actually be overstimulated in a way that we don't actually know that keeps our minds in a revved up state. I can say from personal experience that there are for sure times that I've done this because I wear an aura ring, which is a smart ring that helps to track not only your sleep, your oxygenation, your activity level, your period, which is amazing, but it also will track your stress levels. And I have seen times when I'm sitting in my car and I get home, I'm not quite ready to get out of the car because it's warm and cozy. It's my own little tiny apartment before I go into the house and someone needs something from me. And I've scrolled through social media and my heart rate, my stress level will spike. And I'll look back and think, what was I even doing at that time of day? Why was my heart heart rate spiking? Why was I upset? Why was I filled with stress? And I'll realize that it is sometimes, depending on what comes up or pops up in my feed, where I think I'm relaxing, I think I'm having that moment in my car that's all to myself and peaceful. But by looking at my aura ring stats, I can see that I was not actually relaxing, that I was actually really stressed because of the product of whatever the social media was that day that I was consuming. And we are all product of what we consume physically, what we eat, and also socially, emotionally, the people were around, what we're listening to, what we're watching. And so I am calling myself out in that moment to say, well, what were you eating? What were you socially eating, mentally eating that made you feel that way? So I am not preaching this as if I have it all together or that I'm perfectly polished in this way, but I want to dive into what it might look like for you to create purposeful downtime without the screen. So, number one is to take a hot shower or bath with intention. Now, a lot of us bathing is just a part of that routine, but I will tell you for sure, there have been so many times, especially as a mom, where if I had a little baby and I was in a rushed shower, I can guarantee you that was not a shower where I felt rejuvenated. It might have made me feel relaxed and a bit calm, but it could also be where I hear like phantom cries of my baby needing me, or I'm in a big hurry, or I don't have time to shave that day, or whatever the thing is. Now, this is not that. This shower is classic. It's powerful. This is the one that we are using essential oils. We are adding a steamer to the shower. We are perhaps using a body scrub. We maybe are paying attention to using lavender or eucalyptus or specific body washes that make you feel luxurious or relaxed. This is beyond just rinsing off. This is taking time to renew yourself. In some ways, I've heard that it's called the everything shower, where you might get in and do all the things, the shaving, the waxing, the double shampooing and the body oil, whatever. We don't have time for that every day, okay? But you can turn a five-minute shower into intentional by maybe adding a few drops of your favorite lemon or lavender oil to the shower. I don't know what that looks like. I don't know what the situation is for you in that specific day, but a shower is a really wonderful way to reset, to be calm, to hear our inner thoughts, and to make it intentional. So, what is that for you? Think about it and do it. Are you ready to reclaim your time and finally focus on the tasks that actually grow your business? Whether you're looking to hire a VA or thinking about becoming one, I've got the perfect solution for you. If you're overwhelmed with your business, I personally connect entrepreneurs with highly trained virtual assistants, graduates of my 60 Days to VA program, so you can confidently outsource and scale. Or if you're looking for a flexible, profitable business from home, my 60 Days to VA course gives you everything you need to have to become a successful assistant without the trial and error. Head to camillewalker.co to get started today. Whether you're hiring or launching your own business, I'm here to help you make it happen. You can also grab this link below and schedule a free discovery call with me to see if it's the right fit for you. Number two is one of my favorites is to journal or brain dump. When your mind won't stop spinning, try getting it out of your head and onto paper. It is really interesting. There's a concept called morning pages where in the morning, you can even do it at night or whenever is you time yourself for five or 10 minutes, it could even be two, and you write everything down that comes to mind without judgment. Now, this is something that can be really uncomfortable for most. And there may even be some of you that say, I prefer to type it into my phone, which that is still effective and wonderful. But there's something that happens physically and neurologically when you put a pen to paper that is different. That this helps your brain to stop looping thoughts so that you can rest easier. It can also help you to problem solve. It can also help you to vent in a way, or even organize your thoughts in a way that helps you to understand them better. And if you are someone who needs to write it and throw it away or burn it, that's fine. It really is so impactful to get those words out of your brain onto paper. There is healing that comes there and understanding of yourself and your stresses that cannot come otherways. Number three is to do light stretching or gentle yoga. This is one that even with five minutes, it can release so much tension in your body. So dim the lights, play soft music, stretch out the energy that you've been holding on to all day, and take some intentional breaths. Breathing is such a powerful mechanism to reset our parasympathetic system and to really connect with our nervous system and let us know that it's time to relax. If you are someone that needs help with uh directing thoughts or helping you to gentle release down, this is one of my favorite ways is to actually know this is with a screen though. So you'd have to think about how you want to do this, maybe learn how to do it and then do it without. But I don't think audio is the same thing because you're not looking at a screen. But I love to listen to the audio of sometimes directed mindfulness. I actually have a podcast called Five Minute Meditations for Kids because there are so many resources for adults. But I have a podcast specifically for children that you can check out. But taking that time to really sit and reflect is such a huge and powerful way for us to reconnect and to relax. Number four is to read a real book or listen to a physical audiobook player. Pick something that is light or inspiring, not a business book that gets your brain reving. Try fiction, poetry, or favorite devotional and bonus points if you make it part of your nightly rhythm instead of reaching for your phone. Now, this is something I am really good at, but it's an audio that I listen to as I go to bed. So what I'll do is I'll actually set a timer either on Libby or on Audible. And I'm not looking at the screen, so I'm gonna count it. And I will listen to an audiobook as I am falling asleep. Two of my favorites to listen to that don't require a sense of like, oh, I can't fall asleep is Think Like a Monk, which is amazing. It's by Jay Shetty. I've listened to it more than five times. Atomic Habits is another one that you can pick up and listen to anytime and not have to worry about what's happening in the story if you do fall asleep. However, I listen to stories all the time. And I know that if I set it for a maximum of 15 minutes, if I do fall asleep within those 15 minutes, I can easily trace myself back and find the spot where I left off. So that's super helpful. Number five is to sip something warm. There's something so grounding about making a tea or warm beverage at night, peppermint, chamomile, even golden milk, which is a special for some people, but it's the act of slowing down, drinking something warm that helps you to reset. This is something people love to do morning, but it can also be really nice to do it at night as well. There is a mixers product called Her Nightly, which is chocolate flavored, which is something that you can sip at night like a hot chocolate, but it actually helps you to sleep. I have a discount you can use. It's Camille 10, and I'll put the link below, but that's a great product that you can sip at night. I would suggest that you don't drink too much so that you aren't having to go to the bathroom. So mix it with less water or milk, depending on what time you're drinking it and what time you're hoping to sleep. Number six is to listen to calming music or nature sounds. Playing gentle music like ocean waves or rain sounds with no lyrics can help you to give yourself time to breathe or journal or stretch. You can do that at the same time, or simply just to listen. Audio is so healing. So think of something that really connects you to yourself to be grounded. Um, if you can get yourself outside and relax and even lay down. I love when I'm meditating to lay down and have my eyes closed. I feel like when my eyes are open, I'm still, it's a lot easier to get distracted of what needs doing. So find some music that really helps you to relax. Number seven is to connect with a loved one. So instead of scrolling, why not pick up that phone to connect with a friend or talk with someone in person? That's even better. My favorite, all-time favorite is to walk and talk. That is where you get together with a friend, family member, your partner, and you connect in a way that helps fill you up, the way that screens can't. This could be an event session, this could be a gratitude session, this could be a how are you session. It doesn't matter. But if you can have that chat with someone that you love, it really is a wonderful way to fill your cup and in many ways fill their cup, which gives you that same benefit in return. Number eight is to go for a walk. Stepping outside, even for 10 minutes, feeling the fresh air, noticing the sky, and letting your mind water. It's wander. It's actually a significant way to lower your stress hormone and reset your mood. They actually say that if you take a 10-minute walk after dinner, it helps to create a better glucose level in your body so you don't have a glucose spike or a sugar spike after you're eating. If you go and walk 10 minutes, it's a huge benefit to your overall health and the way that your body processes that food and helps to finish digest it and get it where it needs to go. Number nine is to use aromatherapy or breath work. We've talked about breathing already, but there is something really wonderful about combining essential oils, diffusing something like cedar wood, lavender, or frankincense, and combining three slow, deep breaths in and through your nose for four, hold for two, and slowly release the air for six. This is known as box breathing, and it's an instant calm button for your nervous system. Breathing is the only thing that we have control over that can purposefully change the nervous system and reset our bodies. Number 10, and this is a favorite for me, is to practice gratitude with your family. Before you go to bed, go around and say one thing that you're grateful for. This helps shift our energy from what went wrong to what is good. Living in the present moment is allowing us to not regret what's happened in the past, not worrying too much about the future, but really to be content and appreciate the moment that we have right now. If you have found this helpful, which I hope you have, please share it with a friend. And you can also grab my time audit, which is free. It's in the link below, which helps you to have a better understanding of how you're using your time and how you can better use your time and your resources. Time is our best resource. And if you're needing help with this through coaching, this is what I help women with specifically is how to run their businesses and their families with systems so that they still have time for themselves. They create space for healing, and you also are focusing on what matters most, which is the people that are around you and that love you. Thank you so much for tuning in. I hope that you found this helpful, and we will see you next time. Bye. Hey CEOs, thank you so much for spending your time with me. If you found this episode inspiring or helpful, please let me know in a comment in a five star review. You could have the chance of being a featured review on an upcoming episode. Continue the conversation on Instagram at Call Me CEO Podcast. And remember, you are the boss.