Have you already heard about Digital Detox? If the answer is yes, tell us what your think, we are interested in knowing your opinion!
If the answer is no, read on — from the States comes a new way to fight anxiety and stress — perhaps to put into practice during the next vacation!
Meditation (for those who practice it) teaches us that the first thing to do to overcome a moment of high stress is to get rid of what is causing tension and worry.
Anxiety and social pressure are the essential elements at the heart of Digital Detox, one of the latest trends in anti-stress.
Getting away from the digital world for a few days — and everything else that has nothing to do with the face-to-face — can help you find the right balance.
The overload of daily information sometimes stops us from crystal clear thinking, often also affecting our mood.
What is Digital Detox
It can happen to go from happiness to sadness after just one spin on social media, which often makes us feel inadequate or not wealthy enough!
The Digital Detox aims to help you find a new balance, rediscovering the pleasure of conversation and tranquillity.
Reconnecting with yourself can help you become aware — as well as give you a peaceful and less stressful life.
But let’s see what Digital Detox is and how it is done!
Precisely, the expression “Digital Detox” refers to a period in which you move away from all digital things around you.
So smartphones, laptops, iPads, beepers, earphones, mailboxes, GPS, Bluetooth locator, spaceships, and supersonic rockets — in short, anything that distracts you from real life!
The ultimate goal of Digital Detox is to soothe the mind so that you can get back down to earth and restore the proper balance (primarily mental).
Digital Detox is not intended to denigrate technology, much less the Social Media world.
But, it shows a different way to experience and use tech devices, with less trepidation.
Stopping for a few days will help you to think better, with more serenity.
Have you ever wondered how many hours a day you spend on digital tools?
On average, that’s about eight hours a day—an impressive number, which increases week after week.
Technology has pros and cons, which then affect your everyday life.
Taking care of yourself is needed today more than ever because technology is a powerful tool that has completely turned our lives upside down.
If you decide to do a period of Digital Detox, you will immediately see changes in everyday life, beginning with a different approach to what you see.
Social Detox & Digital Detox
The so-called Social Detox has also been associated with Digital Detox. As you have probably already understood, this practice refers to getting away from social profiles.
You will have to log out of Instagram, close Facebook and the hundreds of fake articles, and you will even have to close WhatsApp.
Any Social Media will be paused for a period so that your mind has a chance to recover from everyday stress.
Although not everyone is aware of it, social media have a significant (harmful) impact on our lives and deal with what happens.
A simple example. When you post a photo on social media and receive several likes and lovely comments, your self-esteem increases, and your day immediately become happier.
Likewise, when a post doesn’t create any interaction, your mood suffers as well.
The Digital Detox helps to make us open our eyes, to understand that something is wrong and that we must do something about it.
Rely on this recovery period — give yourself a break from a massive source of stress and worry.
Digital Detox Benefit
But let’s get to the exciting part, let’s find out what benefits Digital Detox has to offer.
As seen, the first benefit is reducing stress: less anxiety and fewer worries from all points of view.
No personal computer or tablet also means fewer ads bombardment and less social pressure regarding what you “must” absolutely post on Social.
Plus, it improves your self-esteem.
By not seeing hundreds of beautiful people every day who post their photos on social media (most of the time completely fake), you will have the opportunity to rediscover your beauty and feel more serene.
You will begin to notice the difference between social fiction and reality.
Digital Detox will show you a different way of seeing the world, more clearly and with a little more clarity.
So, Digital Detox can help you recharge your batteries, significantly decrease stress levels and rediscover communication with yourself.
A victory from all points of view, no doubt about it!
Digital Detox: How To Do It?
How Long Should Digital Detox Last?
This is probably one of the most frequently asked questions — and entirely legitimate.
The period of Digital Detox varies according to your needs and your condition. It depends on how long you need to relax and get away from stress.
Generally speaking, it takes at least a week. Seven days are enough to realize many things and start living in the Social and Digital World with more awareness.
The idea is to follow a balanced path, recovering the use of social networks slowly, and analyzing your reactions day by day to understand exactly what causes you anxiety and what does not.
After the first week of finally moving away from digital, start by picking up just one thing, be it your smartphone or computer. Choose the App you want to open and allow yourself a maximum of one hour to use it throughout the day.
Slowly you can get back into the routine, making sure it doesn’t become an obsession (again!)
You don’t have to go back into what you did before; otherwise, your Digital Detox period won’t make any sense.
When you start, you have to be sure of yourself and the goal you want to achieve. Then things can start to change.
Digital Detox Steps
Let’s see together in practice what you need to do to prepare yourself and your home for Digital Detox — so that you have no excuse for making a mistake!
- Step 1
Collect all your electronic devices in one place, placing them all on a surface.
Seeing them together, you will realize their actual quantity, and you will already have a first glimpse of the “gravity of the situation.” Ask yourself: Do I need all of these things?
- Step 2
At this point comes the most complex part of the Digital Detox, hiding everything! Close each device in its box, including your phone and computer. Hide them in the most remote corner of the house, give them to a friend, and make sure they are not always within sight.
Are you ready to start your detox period without looking back
- Step 3 (Hold on!)
The first few days will be difficult, especially without the reassuring presence of the phone. But trust me, it is worth it, and you will come out regenerated and much less stressed.
Use this time to think for yourself — write down every little detail. Try to understand what causes you the most anxiety and how to reduce it.
You must learn to see Digital Detox as a way to regain control over your life. Taking the time you deserve, maybe doing something you enjoy and entertaining you.
You can start at any time. Nothing else matter.
Digital Detox Vacation
Vacation is by far the best time to start your Digital Detox. When you are on vacation, you don’t have to go to work or school, and therefore you don’t need to use all of your devices.
Your laptop, for example, can be turned off and left aside for a week, with no emails checking excuses!
Naturally, you could feel reluctant to start Digital Detox on vacation when you can finally relax and watch your favourite TV programs. But believe what we tell you, it will be worth it.
You don’t realize how absorbed you are in the digital world until you unplug it.
Seeing things off the phone’s camera is far more satisfying than you might think.
Best Apps For Digital Detox
Yes, it is true, it might seem a contradiction, but in reality, several Apps could help you in the Digital Detox journey.
In particular, most of these apps favour Social Detox, partially blocking access to Social Media.
You can use them to see how long you spend in front of the screen by regulating the use of your smartphone and all the apps installed.
Below, we’ve listed some examples of the most used, so you will already know where to begin a functional path of Digital Detox.
- Flipd:
The Flipd App has been approved by several satisfied users, available for both Android and IOS.
It is organized in such a way as to provide you with two modes of use: Light Block and Full.
The second mode, which is the most suitable for Digital Detox, blocks access to certain Apps for a while to automatically adjust the number of hours spent scrolling the Homepage of the various Social Media (your fingers will thank you!)
- Forest:
Thanks to the Forest App, you can combine environmental protection with Digital Detox. Every time you resist more than a certain number of hours offline, Forest gives you virtual coins.
These coins can be used to buy real trees. You can plant them in Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, or Tanzania.
- Cactus:
The Cactus app is only for IOS and is also lots of fun to use. When you save your settings, what other App you want to detox from, or for how long you wish not to check your phone—Cactus takes its revolutionary approach!
No, your phone won’t explode, but almost.
If you unlock your phone ahead of time, you will be bombarded with flashing lights, loud noises, and out-of-control vibrations.
Put the phone back to sleep, and Cactus will calm down.
Our Bottom Line
As we have seen, Digital Detox is very important to regain serenity.
Getting rid of the stress of technology is a first step towards rediscovering yourself, so you can finally relax.
Taking a break is never wrong, and changing habits that could become dangerous is also not bad.
Realizing what is happening before things get worse can help us take prompt action.
If you have decided to start a Digital Detox path, follow our advice and guide yourself by the instructions we shared with you.
You can do it, and it could be less hard than you think. Once you start, you are already halfway through the work.
