Turning off my Notifications and getting rid of my Apple Watch saved my mental health! Yup, you read that correctly.
If you are reading this, that means this has piqued your interest or you may think I’m crazy. Let me tell you a story to hopefully convince you that I am not crazy.
Long, long ago in a land far, far away, my OB gave me the all-clear for physical activity about 6 weeks after I had given birth. I was so excited to get back into the swing of things {and not for the obvious reason for sexy time with my husband}. I had gained 40 pounds during my pregnancy and I was determined to lose all of my baby weight.
I reached out to fellow mommas and I was recommended an Apple Watch. Well, I had a hefty hospital bill to pay for, so I couldn’t exactly afford the newest and latest model. My used Apple Watch came in the mail and I was ready to seize the day to lose this weight!
Immediately, I noticed some major issues.
- Battery Life: Like any electronic, I had to charge the Apple Watch every day. And that honestly annoyed me. Here I am lucky to charge my phone before I go to work in the morning along with my laptop and I had to worry about a watch?
- The Rings: The Apple Watch’s 3 rings of Exercise, Steps, and Movement are a great idea and baseline for health, but not closing each ring every day really made me feel like a failure. I would walk all over town, do errands, work, and exercise and my watch would not give me credit. I would get jealous at how well my friends were doing and I would just stop closing the rings.
- Tan Lines: I’m being a little silly with this one, but the tan line I was getting from my watch was really bothering me.
- Notifications: Oh sweet momma, did the notifications drive me crazy or what? I would be in meetings, at work, or even working out and it was non-stop vibrating on my wrist. But you can put it on Do Not Disturb! Yes, I know, but then I would stress out about missing important stuff.
- Distractions: I was constantly checking my wrist and I was constantly on my Apple Watch. I would respond to texts, answer calls, and check my calendar all on my phone. I was doubling if not tripling the amount of time I spent on an electronic with my laptop, phone, and Apple Watch. I would be scared to look at that screen report.
The biggest struggle I had with my Apple Watch was that it gave me the same amount of stress as the scale does. If I do not visibly see results, I get very upset and mad at myself.
I know I am greater than technology, but my apple watch was a constant reminder of what I was not.
One day, I stopped charging my Apple Watch, put it in the bottom of purse, and immediately I noticed some major changes:
- Sleep: I could sleep so much better and longer without interruptions. I didn’t have stress or anxiety from not exercising keeping me up at night. Didn’t get 10,000 steps today? Oh well, I am still the same mom I was before. I sleep so well now without worrying, “Did I charge it” and I am so grateful for that.
- Guilt has no place here: My workout plan has actually improved now that I am doing things on my time and my schedule. I am actually training for a race and I am running almost every day. I cut out distractions of notifications on my runs and I am more focused.
- Focus: My screen time has gone down tremendously thanks to me turning off my notifications on my phone and getting rid of my Apple Watch. That has helped me be so much more focused and more relaxed. I can accomplish more tasks without constantly being bombarded by notifications.
Now, you might say that it isn’t fair of me to diss the Apple Watch and I’m not. I am just saying that if you are a mom and you are feeling overwhelmed, go without your Apple Watch for one day and even one week, and let me know how you feel afterward. Sometimes, we do not realize how attached we are to things until we get rid of them.
I tried the Apple Watch fad and it did not work out for me.
Where am I now? I am happy, content, at peace, and taking charge of my life one less Apple Watch at a time.
