It has been a whole long year of the pandemic, a year of working from home and a year of excessive staring at your computer and phone screens. Whether it was for zoom meetings at work or binge-watching on Netflix and mindless scrolling on Instagram to pass time being home, you and your screens may have become growingly inseparable. You may have noticed the surging or even doubled screen time on your phone since March last year. Now that we are two months into the new year, this article IS the sign for you to start a digital detox!
Digital detox was not a thing a decade ago. But with us getting more and more dependent on our gadgets, concerns for health implications from using them continuously in a long period of time have been raised. Besides eyestrain and sleep disturbances, studies have also found that our screens could be a contributor for stress, anxiety and depression. With the hyperconnection through social media, email and communication platforms of the like, we are constantly connected and immersed in the digital space. Have you ever felt the relentless urge to check your phone for texts and emails or scroll through your Instagram and Facebook to just SEE what others are up to at that very moment? Hyperconnectivity has got hooked on our phone. Fear of missing out or FOMO is an idea derived from this stress and fear we experience when we think if we’re not looking at our phone, we must be missing something. Be it a post your friend or ex posted, or a work-related email, our gadgets can send us down a rabbit hole and feed to our addiction of being constantly connected, resulting in the deterioration of your interpersonal relationships and your relationship with yourself. That is where the idea of digital detox started to emerge.
Digital detox is essentially a temporary period of time where you are refrained from using any digital devices including smartphones, computers and tablets, to initiate a break of our spiraling to eventually reach a healthy digital lifestyle that will benefit your health and work life. However, in this day and age, giving up your devices is much easier said than done. So, here are some steps and tips to help you along the way!
Step 1: Give up your phone before bed
One of the easiest ways to kick start your digital detox journey is to stop using your phone at least an hour before bed. The use of digital devices, particularly at night, was concluded in many studies to be linked to poor quality and quantity of sleep and abnormal sleepiness in the daytime. Sometimes we get ready to sleep, get into the bed, pick up your phone just to check Instagram one more time or to watch one final Youtube video for the night and end up staring at the bright screen for minutes and minutes past your intended bedtime. We have all been there. Tonight, try putting away your phone when you get ready for bed. Replace your phone with a book or a magazine on your bedside table. Let your brain get into a resting state without the stimulating sounds and visuals, and blue light (that potentially disrupts our body’s production of the sleeping hormone, melatonin). You may possibly find yourself having one of the best night’s sleep and feeling much more energized at work the next morning.
Step 2: Plan your gadget off and on times for your day
Putting your phone away on a random day right off the bat may not always be realistic, especially when you may still have to use your devices for work. It is a good idea to start with turning off notifications on your phone to avoid being interrupted and distracted. On top of that, you can plan a specific time of the day where you set aside your phone or have it turned off. It can be a mini digital detox evening after work. Have dinner and conversations with your loved ones instead of having your heads hang low over your screens while sitting on the sofa next to each other. On the other hand, though it may be difficult in the beginning, try to refrain from picking up your phone even when you are alone. Include an hour or so everyday for yourself, meditate if you are into it or just have a walk around your neighbourhood. It might be more relaxing and zen than you’d imagine.
Step 3: Find a new hobby
Following up with the aforementioned step, it is a good idea to discover a new activity that you may enjoy doing as a distraction from being on your phone whenever you feel like you have nothing to do. Start cycling or go on a hike (of course remaining socially distanced, you know the drill) if you are an active person. If you are a homebody, why not take up knitting or painting or learn to play an instrument. Things that you have barely done since high school might be the enjoyable pass-time hobby for your next digital detox!
Step 4: Get some detox-buddies
It can definitely be difficult to complete a digital detox with your friends on their phones right next to you. So, try to get your friends, family and colleagues to be a part of it. Make it a challenge to go on a device-free weekend with your loved ones or just have a mini-detox in the evening with your friends and family. Get the dusted board games out, play a game of charade and enjoy your wine and cheese together. It may just be what you need in the midst of a time like this! And for the offices, aren’t we all just a slight bit tired of zoom meetings at home? With the restrictions in place, we can still try to do device-free, one-on-one meetings at workspaces like BOOQED provides. With the BOOQED app, you can rent workspaces by the hour. The professional and non-distracting meeting spaces offered can be perfect for you and your business partner or client to meet in person for a gadget-free meeting!
Like most things, digital devices are not inherently evil. They are irreplaceable in many ways like keeping you connected with your friends and work, and bringing us convenience in everyday life. But it is all about balance. A digital detox from time to time can clear your head and relieve you from the piled-up stress which you may not even notice. It is a good practice for self-reflecting and regaining your power over your devices to build a healthy relationship with them.
