Suffering from bouts of anxiety, depression or loneliness? How about that nagging feeling that there is never enough time in the day to finish tedious responsibilities, yet there's always time to check Facebook or another social media platform? Psychotherapist Nancy Colier (Inviting a Monkey to Tea) noticed these symptoms in her patients as well as their shared compulsive need to check the phone. Colier promotes wellness and a calm center of self by learning to unplug.
Richly informative yet personable, The Power of Off: The Mindful Way to Stay Sane in a Virtual World teaches readers how to take time for themselves. Colier describes the need to stay "plugged in" as creating the expectation that everyone must be available and at each other's disposal always. As a result, she notes, many have been pushed to live in a constant state of angst and readiness without any reprieve. The consequences of this altered state has manifested in compromised mental and physical health, including the risk of depression, high blood pressure and emotional instability. Colier offers fun and interactive techniques to demonstrate that technological dependency is an addiction, and how it can be broken. She offers personal anecdotes, advice and exercises to be performed as one reads. With so much encouragement, readers may be convinced to leave their smartphones and keep up with the energetic journey toward "me time."
Those seeking guidance on how to limit their time on social media and the Internet in general should pick up Power of Off! --Carol H. Hood, writer, graphic novelist, social commentator