What is a digital detox?

Do you feel unproductive and restless after spending hours on the phone? Do you find that your mental health is so much better when you’re not sat in front of a screen?

Digital detoxes are when you take a break from using any technology devices, such as smartphones, laptops, or social media. You might find them useful if you’ve found your mental health has deteriorated during this lockdown!

The rest of this article will cover how to digital detox, as well as some rules to keep in mind if you’ve been spending too much time on your phone!

How to digital detox

Here are some of the things you can do to start your digital detox, even if you’re a heavy tech user. You can incorporate these steps for however long you want your detox to last! Whether it be a few hours, a few days, or even a whole week.

Turn off your phone

Use Do Not Disturb, mute your notifications, or delete your apps. You can even turn off your phone, or keep it in another room! Virtual barriers such as these can be the first step to make your digital detox more effective.

Find an interesting activity

Whether a lifelong hobby or something you’ve always wanted to try, do something productive to pass the time instead. You might find it worthwhile to do something with your hands or actively using your brain.

Always wanted to learn Spanish? Buy a few books and practice! Why not dust off that guitar that’s sitting in the corner?

Reconnect with yourself

Some people choose to spend their detox to recalibrate and work on their mental wellbeing. Something like journaling, meditating, or reading a book can help. We don’t get a lot of time, especially with social media, to properly sift through our thoughts. You can find the opportunity through your detox to do just that!

Digital detox rules to remember

There are some rules of thumb to make sure you get the most out of your digital detox.

Make sure to avoid all screentime, or reduce it as much as you can. Remember, the whole point of your detox is to stay away from your screen! However tempting it might be to bend the rules a little bit, your detox won’t be as effective.

Let other people know that you’re going to be off the grid for a while, just in case they get worried or need to reach you.

You might also find it worthwhile to come up with a plan of how you’re going to spend the day. Otherewise, your detox may end up being a non-starter. Meet up with a friend for coffee if you can, or go for a walk! Some of us need a distraction to help us ease into the detox, or stick to it.

Lastly, start off easy. Set realistic goals when it comes to your digital detox – especially if it’s for the first time. Leave your phone in the other room for a few hours, and see how you go from there.

Although the digital world has allowed us to stay connected and pass time over lockdown, too much of it can be deterimental to our wellbeing! This is why it’s important we take a digital detox, and be mindful about how much of it we consume.

SupportRoom is here to help

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