When being online is a key part of your job, logging off at the end of the day can be that much harder to do. We spoke to a group of tech-preneurs about how they switch off
The lines between work and life are getting increasingly blurred nowadays making switching off pretty much impossible and sleep evasive. Our screen lights have fast become our night lights and as a result, we’re more tired (and wired) than ever. It can be even more problematic though when being online forms a core part of your job and clocking off doesn’t always have a set time.
How do those who are expected to be plugged-in at all times log off? We caught up with four digital influencers to find out.
“We now both have a strict 9pm curfew where our phones go on ‘Airplane Mode,’” This Is Mothership founders, Sam Silver and Gemma Rose Breger
“It’s tough running an online platform, where people expect you to actually be ‘online’ 24/7 and you feel like you are missing out if you aren’t constantly scrolling on Instagram. FOMO (fear of missing out) is a real life millennial problem!! However, we recently discovered that people only expect you to be switched on 24/7 if that's what you offer them.
Since feeling overwhelmed with life last year (it all got a bit much with us both having mum jobs, day jobs and blog jobs), we now both have a strict 9pm curfew where our phones go on ‘Airplane Mode’. We explained to our followers that this is what we do, and we’ve had so many comments from them saying it encouraged them to do the same, and that they feel so much better from it. It’s made such a huge difference to us both: we sleep better, we function better and we actually switch our brains off. Once the phones are on ‘Airplane Mode,’ we start our evening beauty regimes. The most important beauty product for us both (and mums in general) is a great night cream or serum, because it’s when we finally switch off that our skin gets the chance to repair itself. Either Garnier Rose Botanical Balm , £12.99, or Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair , £53, which works its magic throughout the night.”
“I set my screen lighting to ‘Night Mode’ at 7pm,” Natascha Cox, Body Activist and Blogger
“I am literally addicted to my phone plus it’s my job to be active online. I check my social media and emails at least every five minutes throughout the day. Sometimes I even find myself checking updates if I wake up in the night! Switching off is so hard for me.
I know it’s a problem so I now take a few steps to help me shut down a bit.
I set my screen lighting to night mode at 7pm when it starts to get dark to stop that blurry eye, headache feeling. I also put my phone away from my bed on the other side of my room so it’s not so easy to get to and if I’m feeling really tense, I’ll use This Works’ Deep Sleep Pillow Spray too, £18.”
MORE GLOSS: The best pillow sprays for helping you drift off to sleep
“Magnesium-rich Epsom salts, rose and chamomile essential oils and deep breathing,” Xochi Balfour, holistic wellness guide, blogger and naturopath
“At the end of the day, I like to try to allow space for my body and system to settle after what has inevitably been a long day with a little one year old babe. For me, bath time is the most nourishing and effective time in which to create a sacred, healing space in preparation for sleep, and I like to honour it (and my body) with magnesium-rich Epsom salts, (I use ones by Westlab , £7.50, or Lucy Bee , £7.12), Neal’s Yard Remedies Rose , £21, and Chamomile Essential Oils , £17.50, (for relaxation and heart-opening) and deep breathing. It becomes a meditation and I feel weightless, fluid and renewed afterwards. I then try to be off technology as much as possible in the evening, and always put my phone on ‘Airplane Mode’ in the bedroom. The blue light stops us producing melatonin, the sleep hormone, and I am very aware of its disruptive quality. Candles and fires all the way…”
“Music meditation using my Headspace App,” Callie Thorpe, curve blogger, activist and founder of The Confidence Corner
“I can get so wrapped up in what I’m doing at night that I need a physical reminder to know it's time to simmer down. To do that I set a permanent bedtime reminder on my iPhone. It goes off at 9pm so it gives me an hour to get prepped, (I try to aim for a 10pm sleep time these days so I get a full eight hours before I have to wake up at 6am). I close my laptop, pop on the kettle and have a nice mint tea - either Teapigs’ Peppermint , £3, or I make a fresh one myself using mint leaves and hot water. I then usually either read my Kindle in bed or do some music meditation using my Headspace App (the one I use is called 'Drift Off'). I pay a subscription which means I have access to a great range of pre-bed meditations. I’ve also recently started using a magnesium spray which helps me sleep better when I feel particularly wired.”
Read more: How 7 successful women cope with the effects of a bad night’s sleep