How Much Is Too Much?

The theme of our New England 360 Fitness corporate wellness program this month is Digital Wellness - a topic that I truly believe we’ll be hearing a lot more about in the coming years. 

Tech is a great tool and having access to what we need digitally can make us more efficient and productive.  It can foster our relationships through a different way of connecting.  And we can experience and learn about many things we never dreamed of before we were granted access to…well, everything.

But when does it become too much?

I see this with executives, and goal-driven employees I coach all the time. The struggle is real when it comes to shutting down and signing off at the end of the day, or week.

This question of “how much is too much” has led to many  conversations with clients, colleagues, and friends about how our parents accomplished all they did without the tech we have today?

The common agreement is that with all this information at our fingertips, we are far more distracted and focused on perfection than any other previous generation before us.

And let’s be clear that the problem isn’t just with email and social media….

I first noticed an issue personally when I had two activity trackers, one on each wrist, during a family vacation.  I was all set turning my email off, but I was still connected in so many ways…to things I couldn’t unplug from…

How many steps was I taking each day?

Did I burn enough calories?

Did I sleep enough the night before?

What zone was my heart rate in?

I so badly wanted to rid my watch tan from my wrist while I was sitting at the pool, but if I took my watch off, I wouldn’t have the heart rate data or calorie burn from sitting there.

My two different activity trackers (because neither could provide all the data I wanted to see) were completely controlling me.  When I was supposed to be unplugged.

Don’t get me wrong, wearables and activity trackers serve a wonderful purpose on the path to a healthy lifestyle. 

It boils down to knowing when and how to use the data you are tracking.

Because you are not a single data point.  You are a human.  And no matter what journey or path you’re on, today’s data is one mere point in the grand scheme of a much larger picture.

With fitness wearables and activity trackers being a common incentive to engage employees and grow participation in workplace wellness programs, it’s important to help your people understand how to use the data they are tracking.

As I always say - “having a toolbox without instructions on how to use the tools inside, won’t result in the success one is hoping for just by having the tools.”

During that one vacation I decided to take off one of my wearables - and since that trip, I've only worn one. And I'm happy to report, I haven't even missed the "extra" tracker I was wearing.

This is just one small piece of the Digital Wellness we’re diving into this month.  I’m confident that the content we’ve put together will benefit each and every person on the teams we work with.

If you’re interested in trying out our programs, use this link to book a call.  We’re offering a No Risk, FREE MONTH of our Essentials Wellness Program for new corporate partners.  

Now, stop scrolling and give your eyes a break from the screen!