What Is A Digital Detox And What Are The Benefits?
Digital detoxes, ironically, seem to be the latest social media trend. But are they just a fad, or are there benefits to going off the digital grid?
What is a digital detox?
A digital detox is a period of time where someone disconnects and disengages from the digital world.
There are different types of detox — some people choose a social media detox, logging out of their social accounts and pausing notifications. Others switch off from technology completely with no smartphone, computer, or TV use.
What are the reasons for a digital detox?
While technology has so many incredible benefits, like helping us stay connected and finding out information at the touch of a button, our technology use is at a record high.
We now spend an average of one day a week online, with the average user checking their smartphone every 12 minutes and two in five of us looking at our phones within the first five minutes of waking up.
Too much technology use can lead to:
- An inability to switch off — technology keeps us contactable 24/7, making disentangling from the digital world a challenge, often meaning we don’t get the downtime for rest and relaxation we need.
- Overworking — with email alerts on our phones, the lines between work and home are blurred, and it can be hard to create a clear boundary between the two, fuelling our difficulty to switch off.
- Disconnection — focusing more on our digital worlds can lead to less quality time spent nurturing our in-person connections.
- Compromised mental health — excessive social media use has been linked to low self-esteem. We’re increasingly exposed to glossy, filtered images of seemingly “perfect” lives, which distorts our perception of reality and leads us to compare our own lives to these idealistic snapshots.
- Disrupted sleep — heavy use of technology just before bed has been shown to affect sleep quality. And the effects become more significant when we use our phones in bed, with one study reporting an increased likelihood of anxiety and insomnia.
What are the advantages of a digital detox?
Digital detoxers report benefits, including:
- Stress reduction
- Better sleep quality and quantity
- Improved work-life balance
- Increased optimism and positivity
- Better relationships with loved ones
How to do a digital detox
Start small
Start with putting your phone on airplane mode for a few hours, then maybe trying one day a week without social media. Build it up over time as you adapt to reduced technology use.
Accountability
You’re more likely to succeed if you tell someone what you’re going to do. Let your friends and family know you’re planning a digital detox, and ask them to support you.
Get off the sofa
Sitting in the house is more likely to tempt you to use technology, so get outside and around other people. Try getting outdoors for a walk or bicycle ride or meeting your best friend for coffee instead of calling them.
Regulate your tech use post-detox
After you’ve adjusted to no technology use, stop yourself from slipping back into old habits by limiting your use. For example, shut your phone off a few hours before bed, don’t have it at the dinner table or when you’re spending time with friends and family.
Taking a break from technology could lead to feelings of stress and frustration at times. If it happens for you, know that it’s totally natural — it’s a symptom of withdrawal.
Be kind to yourself, and don’t pile on the pressure. Be sure to practice mindfulness and stress-reducing activities like meditation. Alexis Artin’s powerful Whole Body Wellness Meditation is a great place to start.