10 Tips To Create Digital Boundaries With Texting
I have said it before and I’ll say it again – the ability to access anyone and anything RIGHT from your phone is both the biggest blessing and the biggest curse in our modern time.
Our attention span & focus have shrunken down because of this and while “hanging out on our device”, trying to be productive, our thoughts and flow get invaded by texts, notifications and distractions. Who does not recognize opening their phone to check out a work schedule in the middle of a “work session” yet end up scrolling on Instagram, only to watch about 10 reels & stories before realising what’s going on? Who remembers being in the middle of important work & then, receives an SMS and then, you get pulled out of your train of thoughts to attend to an SMS about a dinner party which is still 4 weeks from now?
If you took note of the time you’ve spent each week replying to messages and add it up altogether, you’ll be surprised. I’m pretty sure you would find that you are spending an OUTRAGEOUS amount of time just on reacting to NON-urgent matters – non-urgent in a sense that nothing very bad happens if you wait until you finish work before replying.
Thriving Lifestyles’ Way of Communicating
Since I started Thriving Lifestyles, it has always been my goal to inspire people through social media. However, I never wanted to neglect the in-person & remote coaching which I knew was just as important. I had to be very intentional about how I approached my messages and interactions with my clients, making sure I connect with them not just on a virtual level, but on a personal one.
One of the main focuses I have when I crafted my approach to messages is that I want to make sure it is sustainable, respectful of my time & others and give realistic support to my
clients and followers.
Now, if you’re that person who easily gets distracted by the non-stop emails, messages & notifications that pop on your phone, this may be the perfect time to set digital boundaries.
Keep reading to find out how.
How to Set Boundaries in Texting
I have 10 simple, easy-to-do tips on how you can set digital boundaries when it comes to texting & replying to messages.
Tip #1: Set your daily schedule to determine your available time.
Write down a clear schedule of your everyday life and determine a time when you are available. During this time (normally called a ‘downtime’), it’s okay for you to go through your emails & messages and respond to each of them one by one. Be sure to stick to your schedule.
One thing you can also do to make sure your schedule is followed, you can let your friends know you can only respond from X time until X time. Better to keep your boundaries than to be distracted from more important matters.
#2 Use Screen Time Limits on your phone.
Thankfully, our phones now have the option of setting time limits on certain apps we wish to restrict. You can change this in your settings so that you can no longer use any app if you exceed the limit & run out of time. This keeps you disciplined & focused.
You can read more about how to put Screen Time Limits on your phone in this blog post: https://fitwitheik.com/blog/do-you-need-a-digital-detox
#3 Keep your phone away from you when doing important things.
Leave your phone elsewhere when it’s time to do some work! Resist the temptation of checking your phone every now & then by putting it somewhere far from your desk. Perhaps, you could store it in your drawer or put it on a different table or leave it inside your bag. It’s your call. Just keep it as far from as you as possible to avoid giving in to the temptation.
#4 Put your phone in another room before bedtime.
By doing this, you stop yourself from staying up late. Scrolling through your phone before bedtime could affect your sleeping pattern & energy the next day. Instead of always keeping your phone by your bed or under your pillow, keep it somewhere else. Your friends who’ll try to reach you at a very late hour would understand if you can’t be reached.
Leave that phone elsewhere & get some sleep!
#5 Let your family & friends know about your boundaries.
Your true friends would respect & honor the boundaries that you set for your life. Let them know about your call to action & keep them accountable. The sooner you let them know, the less conflict you’ll be involved in later. Just let them know the times you are available and make sure that in those available times, you give them undivided attention as well.
#6 Be consistent with your boundaries.
Consistency is always the key. Setting boundaries can be quite tough, so no matter what, keep reinforcing them. Stick with them whatever it takes. Otherwise, you’ll just get tangled with the same distraction over & over again.
#7 Send a quick response about your unavailability.
If you’re busy & someone keeps on bugging & messaging, what you can do is simply acknowledge them and send them a short & simple response about how you can’t talk at the moment and assure them you’ll get back to them first in the morning or as soon as you’re available. By doing this, you stick to the boundaries you have set.
#8 Offer a different time when you are available.
When telling people about your boundaries, also let them know about your available times. Otherwise, they might feel you don’t care for them anymore if you just keep telling them you’re unable to talk and not even spare some time when you’re already free. For example, you can tell a friend, ‘I’m not available right now, but can I get back to you at 6PM tonight?’. Simple things you can apply.
#9 Ask people to talk over the phone or in person.
It’s quite easier to talk in person than on the phone. As you know, it’s hard to convey our emotions through texting, especially about the more serious topics. It’s always easier & better to discuss personally so you can have a more successful conversation.
#10 Let others know when you need a break.
Last but not the least, open up to people whenever you feel down & stressed so that they can understand where you’re coming from and won’t be expecting any replies & texts. It’s definitely normal & totally acceptable to take some timeout for yourself, especially when you’re already weary & depressed. When things seem to be overwhelming, pause, take a break & get some rest.
Those are just some of the things you can do to implement digital boundaries in responding to emails & messages, but there could be a lot more, depending on what is most suitable for you.
It’s important you know you do not need to implement them ALL at the same time, or even use them all - feel free to pick and choose the once that work for you the best.
Nevertheless, thank you for the time you’ve given to read & learn from me.
If you’re interested to read more about digital boundaries, click this link: https://fitwitheik.com/blog/how-to-implement-digital-boundaries
All the Best
Eik
