How much time do you spend every day looking at screens?
If you’re anything like me, you probably check your phone as soon as you wake up and then it’s attached to your hand for the rest of the day.
(Curious about how time you’re actually spending on your phone? You can check your average daily screen time in your phone’s settings. Prepare to be shocked! For full transparency, mine is at 4 hours this week.)
But you know it’s not just our phones that we’re slave to. Throughout the day we use computers to do our work, we unwind with Netflix at the end of the day, we check the train time table boards, and may even use touchscreen ordering boards at lunchtime.
We're a very visual generation. We're constantly taking in information with our eyes. And while the internet and technology have so many positives and make our lives a lot easier and convenient, using our visual sense so often can cause our brains and nervous system to go into overdrive.
I think it's important to take a break from that and encourage growth and development in our other senses as well.
You know I often bang on about having a creative hobby and the benefits of behavioral activation therapy, especially those suffering from depression, anxiety, and stress. Really taking the time to engage with your sense of smell, touch, taste, and hearing is such a mindful and calming experience.
Sensory stimulation isn't just important for toddlers, adults can benefit hugely from it as well as it can improve our cognitive function, support our motor skills, and even reduce anxiety and depression.
Bookish Bakes is a sensory focused business with touch, taste, and smell at the heart of the immersive experience our boxes give you.
Both smell and taste are linked very closely with memory and emotion. The anatomy of our brains allows olfactory signals to travel to the limbic system quickly, which is why when we smell something, it often triggers a memory and the feeling associated with it.
Stimulating these senses while you read triggers these signals in your brain and allows you to connect emotionally and thus more deeply with the story. It makes the world more tangible and real.
Which is why I am so excited to be partnering with Thalia of Wild Books to bring you a very special collaboration box that will enrich your reading experience even more!
Thalia makes beautiful candles inspired by the location in a book. Her aim with her book and candle gift sets and book subscriptions is to help you read more books and make time for yourself and mindful activities. A goal that we both share.
So to encourage you to take some time for yourself, we’ve created the ultimate reading experience that will stimulate your senses and help you relax, unwind, and recharge this summer (before the crazy holiday season!)
With our limited edition Secret Garden Box, you can immerse yourself in the world of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s timeless children’s classic, The Secret Garden and elight in the magical natural world at Misselthwaite Manor.
The box is on sale now and contains a lovely secondhand copy of the book, a Bookish Bakes Carrot & Rose Cupcakes baking kit, and a Wild Books dewy rose scented book candle.
Be sure to check out the Classics Shop and grab your box before 23 August 2022 and treat yourself to a beautiful bookish experience this summer and help support two woman-owned small businesses.
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