Don’t Let This Ruin Your Memorial Day Weekend

Smartphones. Whether you’re at work, out to dinner, or even working out, one thing is clear: they’re everywhere. According to a NBC News article, we check our smartphones an average of 150 times per day -- or about once every six minutes! So, what is this always-on mentality doing to us? Not only is it reducing our productivity at work, but it’s also ruining our leisure time. NBC News reports: "It's like an arms race … everything is an emergency," said Tanya Schevitz, spokeswoman for Reboot, an organization trying help people unplug more often. "We have created an expectation in society that people will respond immediately to everything with no delay. It's unhealthy, and it's unproductive, and we can't keep going on like this." The bottom line? Constantly being tied to technology isn’t healthy for your work -- or your life. Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to unplug. Try stepping away from your smartphone, and instead, enjoy simple pleasures like BBQs, baseball and lazy days in the hammock. Do you manage to truly unplug over weekends or holidays? Got any tricks for the rest of us? Susan Shain is a travel blogger who loves helping people discover adventure through international travel or alternative careers.