How to Digitally Detox

In this day and age, a large portion of our lives are lived on the internet. Many of us dread that weekly screen time notification that lets us know just how much time we’ve spent staring at our phones! Though technology is essential, spending too much of our time on Facebook and Instagram can have a serious effect on our mental (and even physical) health.

Though it may seem impossible, digitally detoxifying is possible. Research has proven that spending some time away from your phone improves your sleep, posture, attention span and helps you to de-stress. Here’s how to do it:

Turn off push notifications

It becomes infinitely harder to stay away from your phone if you’re being constantly distracted by push notifications that pull you towards it. Try to only keep absolutely essential notifications on.

Put away your phone at meal times

Many of us eat while scrolling, especially if we’re dining by ourselves. Even looking around a restaurant you’ll see faces staring at screens rather than the people across from them. Research has shown that having your phone at the table even if you’re not checking it reduces our ability to be present.

Designate phone-free hours

This is a great way to slowly detach from your phone. Even beginning with half an hour of phone-free time will help you to stop feeling like you’ve lost an arm every time you’re apart from your device. From there you’ll be able to slowly create more space to do activities that have nothing to do with a screen.

 Keep your phone out of your bedroom

Many of us use our phones as our alarms. Though it’s convenient, it’s all too easy to begin scrolling first thing in the morning when you reach to turn it off. This influx of digital information first thing in the morning and just before bed has adverse effects on our brains, including reducing our cognitive abilities, our quality of sleep and spiking our cortisone levels

Limit yourself to one screen at a time

It’s very common to be mindlessly watching a TV show while simultaneously scrolling through social media or replying to emails. This can greatly impact our ability to concentrate, and can even reduce our enjoyment of whatever we’re watching. Try to decide which screen you want to dedicate relaxation time to.