Balancing Reality and Online

Cover Credits: Juvin 🩵

In this day and age, it is hard to avoid technology as it's now needed for everyday things. Work, finding information, and communicating with loved ones. Despite that, you should still create a balance between both to avoid focusing on the wrong things or unintentionally distancing yourself from important tasks

Even as an active member of a community, I have times when I need a break from Amino. Or rather online in general. Yes, it does get tiring being on your phone all day. This is the same for reality. Sometimes you don't want to deal with everyday tasks or constantly think about "what's next". And that's okay.

Being a is sometimes demanding. You may get a few reports, tasks and random messages 24/7. I myself sometimes get overwhelmed and even forget to complete some tasks. No one is perfect. Even people who LOOK like they have it together sometimes struggle on the inside.

Also not to mention, we all have lives outside and within animo. A lot of us have things to take care of or do outside of being online.

Here are some tips and insights to help!

Prioritize.

Take care of the important stuff first. Take care of YOURSELF first!

Being online should NEVER become a number one priority. Your life should not be revolving online either. You are not obligated to respond to a friend immediately, or check out a new update the moment it comes out. (Unless it's an emergency.)

Got an assignment that's due tomorrow, but you also want to chat with friends? I'm sure you know what to do here. Get that work out of the way so you won't feel the shame when your boss/professor is asking you about it the next day. 🫡

Don't procrastinate and try to take care of tasks immediately so you won't have to worry about them later. (Ehe.)

Create Reminders

Sometimes you may get forgetful. (Like me :cry: ) I myself am very forgetful and when you have a lot on your plate, it can be easy to forget the simplest of things. For example, I am in quite a few groups/aminos that may require different things from me. This may be to create posts, edits, or chat in general.

If you write down the things you need to complete, it can help you , as well as keep track of what you need to complete. (I'm looking at you, Wanda, respectfully.)

This can include:

Writing down notes

Creating a schedule

Making timers/reminders

And to be fair, I find it hard to keep up with things like calendars, or planner (Because I forget them too at times. If this is you, I recommend you start small, and creating reminders/alarms.)

Finding Alternatives

There is a limit to how much time a person can spend online. This doesn't necessarily mean feeling overwhelmed, but you should limit your Internet intake from time to time.

Find an activity for yourself that doesn't require you to sit in front of a screen all day. This could be doing puzzles, writing, or simply taking walks and exploring your neighborhood.

COMMUNICATE!

This cannot be stressed enough and is always applied to online, or real life. You NEED to speak up and let your friends/colleagues know when you're unavailable. If you get overwhelmed and can't keep up with people, say something. A lot of relationships tend to go south because of this simple mistake. Friends drift apart. Lovers get suspicious. Co-workers find you unreliable. You don't have to share everything that you may be going through, but give a heads up in advance.

This can also apply if you're actively online as well. If you're feeling as if the workload is getting too heavy for you and you need a break, don't be afraid to speak up.

* Note: Never rant about private (work) info to anyone BEFORE speaking to your boss/friend. This may cause unnecessary drama.

Know when enough is enough.

Set limits for yourself Don't take on more than what you can handle. Roleplaying with several different people, and can't keep up? Have lots of posts to catch up on? Then it's best you don't sign up or volunteer for anything else until you finish what you need to. Pay close attention to the tasks that you signed up for and finish the ones that are more demanding of you.

Thank You

All in all, while it may be hard to implement such habits in everyday life, it's not completely impossible. Recognizing that a change needs to be made is a great first step! With a little effort, I know you can definitely become a boss at Balancing Reality and Online!