Leave your phone at home: here's where to be offline in Shanghai

Photograph: Michael Mroczek via Unsplash

There's no denying that Shanghai is a city that never stops. We work seven days a week, respond to emails at all hours of the day/night, and most of us couldn't even go a day without WeChat. It can be hard to get a break, which is why sometimes you need to step away from your phone and give yourself some time without technology: here's where to unplug and rejoin reality in the crazy, non-stop city we call home.

Group workouts

Leave your phone and headphones at home and make your workout a sociable one at Shanghai's many exercise clubs. Feel the burn for free at Shanghai born-and-bred HIIT fitness group FitFam's regular workouts, stretch it out at one of Lululemon's community sessions, or hit the road with one of Shanghai's top running clubs. 

Not only does exercise release endorphins to make you feel better within yourself, focusing on a physical activity is a welcome distraction from the triggers that contribute to the symptoms of various mental health issues.

FitFam Find out more by following FitFamShanghai on WeChat.

Lululemon Find out more by following lululemonathletica on WeChat.

Mindfulness

There are plenty of spaces in Shanghai that encourage you to relax, unwind and recharge away from prominent stressors. 

Wellbeing platform Octave was created to combat the overwhelming stress that the bustling world around us creates on a daily basis, and its holistic wellness centre The Living Room offers a range of classes – including the likes of mindfulness and meditation yoga – to harmonise your mind and body. Another option is Shanghai Mindfulness, a group that meets twice a month to help the city's stressed out and overworked residents find a balance in their lives by using mindfulness techniques and Positive Habit Building. Or if you really need to get away from it all, get out of the city and devote a couple of days to your spiritual self at one of YEJO Circle's meditation-centred weekends away in the countryside. 

The Living Room by Octave 357 Jianguo Xi Lu, near Taiyan Lu. Find out more at new.livingoctave.com.

Shanghai Mindfulness Find out more at shanghaimindfulness.com.

YEJO Circle Find out more at yejocircle.com.

Classes

While apps and online courses can be a great way to pick up a new skill, there's something refreshing about the old-fashioned learning style of joining a class. Whether you want to learn a new language, take things to the next level in the kitchen, or unleash your inner artist, Shanghai has a class for that. As you fight the urge to Instagram your latest creations, you'll find that challenging yourself or throwing yourself into something new is a great way of taking your mind off things – aka WeChat, emails and work. Plus, it's a great way to meet new people. 

More details Chinese language classes, cooking classes, arts and crafts workshops.

The great outdoors

Getting out of the apartment and into a green space away from screens can be a challenge in a city, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Take a day trip to the Chenshan Botanical Gardens, Shanghai's largest botanical garden (three times the size of the Shanghai Botanical Gardens), it's a great setting to get back to nature. As well as all sorts of flora and fauna, there's a waterfall and a huge boating lake. 

Chenshan Botanical Gardens 3888 Chenhua Lu, near Jiasong Lu, Songjiang district.

Why go offline

... according to Parkway Health's Dr KC Lee

'Despite our technological advancements, we still only have 24 hours a day. Yet research indicates that the time that we spend on digital devices has increased significantly. That could only mean that time has been cordoned off from other areas in our lives.

Digital devices are helpful in many aspects, they are also designed to be engaging and ‘attractive’, the colours on a brand-new OLED screen are not something your dog or an [offline] game can compete with in terms of attraction. However, the joys of [playing a game] with someone you like face-to-face or exploring the neighbourhood with your dog, is probably not something you’ll be able to find on digital devices. 

Being able to be "offline", or even declaring to want to be offline – especially given the current work reality – can be an immensely empowering experience. It helps us establish boundaries, and help us put the focus on ourselves, and other areas in our lives we want to put our focus on.'

And why it's bad to spend too much time online... 

'When we spend an excessive amount of time [on digital devices], it becomes engrossing and all-encompassing. It can warp our sense of reality, identity and create a sense of isolation (ironically while being more "connected"). This may result in poor functioning when it comes to relationships, making engagement in "real" life difficult. 

Many of our basic functions in life – like dating, negotiating work arrangements – involve practise in real-life scenarios, something that is desperately lacking in online environments. While some of these aspects can be simulated online, it hardly covers the many nuances of human interaction and relationship building. 

Someone that’s always online could miss out on the many joys of interacting with others in person, even the challenging ones! The opportunity to learn and practise social skills, rapport building, handling conflict and expressing ourselves appropriately are all essential skills if we want to succeed in life: in relationships, career and family environments.'

More from Time Out Shanghai

Click below for more things to do