Switching off your smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc., is called Digital Detox. In this post, you will learn what a break from the digital world brings you and with which tips the detoxification of social media, WhatsApp, and emails succeeds.
What is Digital Detox?
Digital Detox is translated as “digital detoxification” and refers to the complete renunciation of digital media for a certain period. The goal of dispensing with constant digital accessibility and networking is to reduce stress and improve one’s well-being.
How long your smartphone, tablet, and laptop will remain switched off is up to you. But if you want to recover sufficiently from the digital world, a break of one week is recommended.
And don’t worry: Small detox breaks are fine, especially if work or private life does not allow it otherwise. However, you should spend as little time as possible in the digital space during the Digital Detox – even if it is difficult initially.
Digital Detox: 10 tips for the digital time-out
Hand on heart: Have you ever turned off your smartphone for several days? Even on well-deserved vacations, many check their emails and share their snapshots online with family and acquaintances. However, Digital Detox requires complete media abstinence for several days, a week, or longer.
If you have decided to go offline for longer, you should prepare well for the unfamiliar time. To help, we’ve collected ten digital detox tips here to make your digital detox a complete success:
Set up an offline tag
Before starting your Digital Detox, treat yourself to half a day offline and stay abstinent. If you meet up with friends, do sports, go for a walk or cook something special, it will be easier to start with analog time.
Turn off devices
During detoxification, you should switch off all digital devices. It does not mean that smartphones, tablets, and laptops are in standby mode. It will tempt you to take a quick look at what’s new.
Digital-free bedroom
Restful sleep is essential for health and well-being. TV, laptop and mobile phone have no place in the bedroom, get out of it! Flashing can hurt nighttime sleep and lead to sleep disturbances. By the way, you should always take the tip to heart, even outside of your detox time.
Analog alarm clock
Using the smartphone as an alarm clock tempts you to check the messengers, the weather, and, if you are already there, all the message apps before falling asleep and immediately after waking up.
Does this look like a perfect start to the day, let alone digital detoxification? Swap the phone for an analog alarm clock to avoid this digital trap.
On the go without a smartphone
The smartphone is allowed you to stay at home by visiting the family, meeting acquaintances, and going to the cinema or gym with your girlfriends. At first, you still feel that you have forgotten something important at home, but leaving the house without a mobile phone is entirely normal. A bonus is paying more attention to the activities and people you meet.
Learn mindfulness exercises
Meditation, breathing exercises, massages, or yoga are different methods to learn mindfulness, shut down the body, and reduce (digital) stress. Take an hour each day to relax all by yourself. It is also one of the digital detox tips that are worth their weight in gold in everyday life.
Write a diary
Instead of the daily post or the morning selfie, you finally have time to keep a proper diary again without digital devices. Write down your thoughts and feelings during the Digital Detox as an experience report and reflect on how your everyday life, mood, and perspective change.
Change focus
Use the offline days to return your attention to the real world; it’s worth it! Where many people are otherwise distracted by the smartphone, for example, on buses and trains or in the medical practice waiting room, you can devote yourself to your environment or a book.
Digital Detox Apps
Admittedly, an app to treat yourself to a break from apps and Co. sound strange. Nevertheless, you can use so-called Digital Detox apps to prepare the planned media abstinence, for example, by restricting device use.
Check emails once a day (if need be)
Thanks to smartphones, it’s tempting these days to reply to emails and messages instantly. If your job or urgent private circumstances do not allow it otherwise, you can schedule one email check per day despite digital detoxification.
Digital Detox: Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Detoxification
Turn off your smartphone for several days. In times of digital change unimaginable for most! Often the job requires one to be constantly available, or there is a fear of missing something if the eye does not fall on the mobile phone every hour. Before it comes to digital burnout, you should, therefore better, turn off the devices. I promise Digital Detox is worth it for your work-life balance in many ways!
Benefits of Digital Detox
- Reduce stress: If you no longer answer calls immediately, read and answer messages and emails directly; this relieves tension and reduces stress.
- Foster creativity: Without constant digital distraction, you can go deep within yourself, dream into the day, and collect and implement new ideas. Away from the online world, there is plenty of time for creative and new projects.
- Treat yourself to relaxation: The renunciation of the many stimuli and information from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms is pure relaxation for the body and mind.
- Strengthen your health: Digital Detox is also good for your physical health because neck pain and dry eyes from the daily look at screens are alleviated by the time out.
- Gain time: It’s easy to forget how much time it takes to check your emails, leave likes on social media and search for something on the Internet – time that you can now regain.
- Be productive: Last but not least: Social media and WhatsApp distract, which is why you improve your concentration and are more effective in your tasks without these apps.
Disadvantages of digital detoxification
- Unreachable: Digital Detox means not being reachable by mobile phone, email, or messenger, private or professional. For some, however, this is unthinkable outside of the holiday and represents a relevant stressor.
- Missing information: You can only hear about current events in the world from newspapers and real-life conversations.
- More time: Without digital devices, you need more time for everyday things – including banking, shopping, or finding the right way without Google Maps.
However, don’t let the disadvantages put you off; involve them wisely in planning your digital detox!
Conclusion: Gain more time for yourself and life with Digital Detox
Not using any digital media for several days can be a challenging transition. After all, it is now considered entirely normal to be networked online and available at all times – even if online life can lead to digital burnout for some users.
Digital Detox is a chance to say goodbye to the digital world for a few days or weeks and focus on yourself, your health, and your life. Digital detoxification works for stress management, with apparent success. You can make the transition easier with Digital Detox Apps if you like. Give it a try!
