How To Do Digital Detox Effectively? Why Should You Do It?

Are you waking up in the morning and scrolling through your social media fervently? News from all over the world is pouring in, your friend from college flaunting their vacation pics, emails from the office cramping up, and you go on from one to the next without much thought, right?

Do you know how these seemingly harmless activities affect your physical and mental health? In this article, we intend to introduce you to digital detox. What is it, why should you consider it, and what benefits can you expect? Let's take a look, then!

In simple terms, a digital detox is a dedicated period when you avoid all electronic usage, including smartphones, tablets, computers, and other screens. Even though this might seem very easy, statistics prove it wrong. The average American uses their phone more than 352 times a day. Shocker, right?

It is also to be duly noted that 47% of Americans feel that they are addicted to their phones. This striking research should point you to the need of the hour—the need to detoxify digitally.

Why should you digitally detox?

You might not even recognize the harmful effects of digital time. Here are a few issues:

-       Anxiety

-       Depression

-       Poor self-image

-       Poor time management

-       Unhealthy eating habits

-       Sleep troubles

-       Weight gain

-       Reduced work ethic

These signs and issues arise not only from spending a long time online, but there could be a great connection between these factors. Let us now delve deep to understand the benefits of a digital detox.

Social media has now evolved to be a comparison meter. What your friends and strangers are doing becomes the sole influential factor. Comparing their life to yours and losing sight of what's essential can seriously hamper your emotions and mood. So, with a digital detox, you can focus on your personal goals, nurture offline relationships with people who genuinely care for you and lift your spirits accordingly.

With constant and excessive use of phones and screen time, you miss out on real life. No phone conversation can ever be compared to a one-to-one with a person. So, a digital detox can help you foster better relationships and improve your overall mental health.

Spending a long hour in front of a screen causes physical issues like headaches, tech neck, and eye issues, which can be mitigated with a timely digital detox. Spend less time in front of screens and more time outdoors on walks, jogs, exercise, painting, and other activities.

It is a no-brainer that spending too much time online and on social media affects work efficiency and productivity. More than 35 % of Americans have reported that the use of smartphones has hampered their work ethic. Less focus and concentration affect work. Digital detox could alleviate this.

The blue light in screens dries out eyes and hampers a good night's sleep. Sleep is a significant factor to consider as one age. A well-rested person is ready to tackle the next day. Sluggishness, lethargy, and less focus are all signs of insufficient sleep. Blue light inhibits melatonin production, so sleep is widely affected. With digital detox, this could be reduced, helping the body stick to a circadian rhythm.

Now that you are ready to take a break let's discuss how to proceed.

When deciding how much time you want to spend on electronics, you are your boss. Lay down strict timelines and timers for it. It could be anything from Hands-free weekends to one hour of screen time daily. Whatever you decide, try sticking with it.

When working or during a particular time in the day, silence all your notifications. This way, you will not be prompted to check the phone occasionally. This would be a bit hard to practice if you have extreme FOMO. But practice does get this perfect. If you are expecting a call or message, try putting in a different notification sound so you will notice and take the necessary steps.

Many apps nowadays allow you to track your social media usage time. This way, you can monitor your usage pattern and work accordingly. Some apps also have a "lock-in" facility where you can use your phone but not social media, which can help with better time management and successful digital detoxification.

Our phones and screens are not going anywhere, and that's a fact. But we can control the time we spend on them. We can take timely digital detoxes and reap their emotional, physical, and spiritual benefits.