As an online triathlon coach, I try to be in full access for my athletes but I also have to set boundaries. Sometimes, those boundaries get broken but for the most part, my athletes do a great job of understanding that I have a life as well. And I truly thank them for that.

About two months ago, I had to do it. I had to drop off the face of the earth for 24 hours. I was exhausted. I was overwhelmed. I was actually hating my phone and computer. It was with me constantly and it was getting to be too much.

Sometimes staying away from our smartphones for just a few minutes is difficult, but did you know that separating yourself from your digital gadgets and life can improve your life a great deal. It’s more than likely that if you are reading this article, your smartphone is lying within reach of you. These days our smartphone is our best friend that we can’t be separated from, not even for an hour or so. It’s an extension of us, we’re always ready to grab it when it we hear a ding or a vibrate from a text. Apart from our phone, we spend more and more time on digital devices, probably much more than 2 hours in a day. There is a steady flow of incoming messages, social media connections and phone calls.