It’s all too easy to live your life online these days; especially if you’re studying an online degree at Carrington College California. It’s true that everyone could use a little more time offline, it’s better for your health and your longevity. We know that there are demands on your time and that you have to spend time online to get things done, including your schoolwork, but don’t forget to spend as much time as you can out in the real world! Once you’ve read this article, admittedly online, switch off and unplug for a few hours! Here are 6 great reasons why you should…
- Get moving… There is one thing nearly all of us have in common: we sit too much. Though the shift towards computer-based work has done great things for productivity, it has had a terrible effect on our health. There is growing evidence to suggest that the more time we spend sitting, the less healthy we may be.
- Accumulating real friends is far more satisfying… Real people, not just ‘friends’ in a list, are out there waiting for you; living your life online can often make you forget that. While online, we are missing out on real world experiences. Get out there and live life with family, old friends, and maybe make some new ones.
- Freedom of speech… A real conversation isn’t limited to 140 characters or what you can comfortably fit in a status update. The more time you spend online, the less in touch you become with reality and the art of conversation.
- Disconnect to connect… If you’re constantly online you might miss out on a ‘you-had-to-be-there’ moment; your child’s first words, quality time with your partner or other memories that not even a clip on YouTube can adequately capture. Real life is constantly moving forward, you only live once and there is no rewind button in the real world.
- Get some depth… Look what’s ‘trending on Twitter’ – Justin Bieber, the latest Batman movie, cute kitten videos… It’s enough to realize that most online conversations are trivial and unimportant. A love for trivia can keep us from learning about and discussing deeper things in life that really matter, with the people we care about the most.
- Lol – Gr8 – BRB – Texting, typing, posting, tweeting, chatting, blogging, vlogging, instant-messaging… no wonder the English language is suffering! Write a real letter, pick up the phone and have a real chat with an old friend, play a game with someone face to face…it’ll improve your language skills!
Though the shift online with increased access to technology has done great things for productivity in the last 15 years, it’s also had a terrible impact on our physical and mental health. Many of the programs that our online students are studying can lead to sedentary careers – Accounting, Graphic Design, Health Care Administration for example – so it’s important to get out of the habit now. If you don’t have to sit at your computer, get up, get out and live life offline! For comprehensive consumer information on our online programs, visit carrington.edu/online/
