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Culture June 4, 2018
You've tried a juice cleanse, so how about a digital cleanse?
The irony is not lost on me that I’m writing about digital detox while typing away at a computer. But that’s exactly why we need to take a break – technology has become a part of everything we do.
Think about how often you are looking at a screen. According to Time, Americans as a whole check their phones 8 billion times per day. That’s an average of 47 times per day per person. For younger folks, its even more, Time says.
Maybe you want to start a digital detox but the idea of ditching technology for an entire day or even week is enough to make you start twitching.
Don’t worry. We’ll start with the baby steps. If you reach number six, maybe you’ll be able to consider going technology-free altogether. Just kidding. Who could do that?
There are a couple of ways to go about this. You can put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” if you have an iPhone. There is a similar function on Android by going through the sound settings. In both of these options, you will simply disable the sound notifications. For many apps, the pop-up or banner notifications on the lock screen will still appear.
To take this a step further, you can individually disable notifications, keeping important email notifications enabled if you need. But as for that Farm Heroes game constantly alerting you of a refill of lives? That’s noise pollution you can do without.
While one study reported fewer distractions and more productivity after disabling all notifications, the study also found that participants checked their phones more often and felt less connected with others. Know yourself and be aware of what notifications you can do without and which ones will genuinely keep you happy.
If you’re leaving the alerts on for your emails, one way you can reduce the digital distraction is to unsubscribe from emails.
Do you get emails with coupons you’ll never use or news updates you’ll never actually read? Are these unread emails piling up in your inbox? Save yourself some time and stress by scrolling to the bottom of one of these emails and hitting the unsubscribe button.
Be ruthless. If it’s something you can do without, let it go. You can find those coupons for pet food elsewhere. Then when you do get an email alert from your phone, you know it’s something important.
Want to start engaging in certain activities without the distraction of your phone? Leaving it in another room while you are participating in these activities will help.
This is a particularly good idea for dinner, when you’re hosting a party, or when you are playing cornhole in the backyard (or am I the only one who does that anymore?).
Even setting your phone down in the next room while you watch a movie is a good idea. Being present is the whole reason to do this digital detox in the first place, so focus on one device at a time if you really can’t get rid of them altogether.
Can’t go it alone? Get a friend or relative to do the digital detox with you.
Remember when your professor used to make you put all your phones in a basket at the front of the room? Sure, it wasn’t pleasant but it isn’t a bad idea when it comes to a group digital detox.
It keeps you all accountable and frees you up to do something together. No one likes looking up from whatever you were doing only to see everyone staring at their phones. It’s depressing and discouraging.
Yes, it can be awkward. Your phone is your backup when the conversation gets slow. But if you’re up for the challenge, team up with some friends and leave the phones in a basket (or a hat, or a drawer, etc.) for a night of shenanigans.
Your time is valuable, which is why everyone and everything is always scrambling for your attention. Get ready to make that time even more prized – by limiting it.
Tell your family and friends about your digital detox by giving them a set time of when you will have your phone off or on. If you have a home phone, only give out your number to important people and tell them not to contact you in your “off” hours unless its an emergency.
Now, what should you do with all that time on your hands? You could hit the trails, go for a drive, do some reading or writing. If you’re feeling more productive, you could go through that junk drawer. But try to have fun with it and breathe easier during your digital detox.
Can you go a whole day without your phone? What about your phone and your computer? Your phone, computer and your TV?
Woah, let’s slow down.
Just challenge yourself. Know your limits but try to push them a little bit. Maybe look at it month by month. The first Sunday of every month, for instance, is your device detox day. You’ll do without one of your devices.
Then, when that becomes a routine push it further. Try ditching two of your devices. Then, three. You get the idea.
Again, this doesn’t have to be a lonesome affair. If you have roommates, try to get them involved. Spending a weekend with your relatives? See if they’re up for the challenge. It’s easiest when you have support and something worth being present for.
So, there you have it. Ready to go off the grid yet?
