How to Unplug From Technology: Easy Digital Detox Tips That’ll Help You (Finally!) Relax
Discover how a ‘boredom party’ can help you recharge and focus on what matters most
In a world where our devices have become like another appendage, it’s no surprise Americans spend an average of 4.5 hours per day staring at their phones, according to a recent survey. The same survey revealed that 40 percent of us want to reduce screen time this year. If you’re thinking, ‘But how? That’s easier said than done,’ keep reading for surprisingly simple ways to unplug from technology, so that you can reduce the stress that comes from being tethered to every ping and update — and take your time back.
How to unplug from technology
Here, six simple strategies to help you take a break from your phone and give your brain the relaxing mini-vacation it needs:
1. Make it easy with ‘zone defense’
When we hop on devices, dopamine, the “instant gratification” chemical, is released, effectively hijacking our brain. “Our devices are like ‘short cut machines,’ giving us everything we want that much faster,” says psychiatrist Clifford Sussman, MD. The problem is this rapid-fire gratification can create a phenomenon called reward deficiency syndrome. Simply put, when we don’t get our digital “hit,” we crave it that much more. A proven way to detox? Let your environment do the work for you.
Woman's World Answers
Dr. Sussman suggests creating two areas in your home: a low-dopamine and high-dopamine zone. “Fill the former with board games, art supplies, books — real ones,” he says with a laugh, “These activities won’t cue you to get on a screen.” And in the high-dopamine zone, place your devices, charging stations, consoles and the like. “This way, instead of having to put your device away, you just leave the room. Easy!
2. Ask yourself a few key questions
Rather than avoid all social media, just try to be more intentional about when you use it, says Hannah Brencher, author of The Unplugged Hours: Cultivating a Life of Presence in a Digitally Connected World. “When I hop on social media, I ask myself if I want to check in, or if I really want to check out? I love that I can stay in touch with friends 1,000 miles away, but if I’m scrolling and scrolling, I’ll ask myself what I really need.” That could be anything from taking a walk to enjoying a cup of tea.
3. Be like Ghandi (if he had a phone!)
When Brencher began her digital detox, she started small, staying off her phone an hour at a time. And to create some separation between her and her device, she placed it in a tin box. A higher tech way to achieve the same goal? Consider the screen time app Opal, to curb digital distractions, she suggests. “It sends fun notifications like, ‘Gandhi wouldn’t be on his phone right now; you shouldn’t be either.’
4. Reflect on your offline goals
Create a blueprint that includes a few offline goals for the next, say, three weeks, advises expert Cosette Rae, CEO of reSTART Life, the nation’s leading treatment provider specializing in sustainable digital media use. “Jot down things like ‘I intend to serve someone today’ or ‘I want to spend more time with my animals,’” she says. Ask yourself, “How was I using my devices in the past?” and, “How do I want to use them in the future?” She calls this a living document precisely because it’s meant to change as you change and grow.
5. Relish doing nothing — or very little
It gets a bad rep, but a little boredom is a good thing, says Dr. Sussman. “It may feel uncomfortable at first, but it helps restore dopamine receptors and develops your patience.” To celebrate being tech-free, you might get together with friends to engage in delightfully old-school activities like puzzles and board games.
6. Let yourself savor the small moments
What would make this day great? “When you ask yourself this question in the morning, the answer is never, ‘Replying to more emails,’” says Brencher. “Whether it’s spending time in nature, savoring the stillness at the start of the day or baking chocolate chip cookies with your daughter, these little bits of intention will fill your tank and help you strike a more sustainable balance between technology and living in the moment.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
