Unplugging and Detaching: What can a Digital Detox do to the Mind, Body, and Mental Health of an Individual?
Have you ever asked yourself … Do I need to escape my daily routine and society’s addictive technology with a Digital Detox? This question does not go through many individuals thoughts and head, as people are not even aware of the impact digital devices, social media, and technology has on everyday life and consistent living.
A Digital Detox is simply defined as a timeout from using electronic devices. This Detox refers to a period of time when a person voluntarily refrains from using any type of digital device. Smartphones, computers, video games, and social media are completely cut off. The overall question that everyone asks, are these Digital Detox Interventions effective at promoting a healthy way of life in the digital era we are surrounded with? The Internet and Social Media are addicting sources of information and entertainment for millions of people all around the world, especially since the COVID-19 Pandemic. While our world was on lockdown for six months, children and adults had no better entertainment than to scroll through various social media applications, browse the Internet, or plant themselves in front of a screen for hours on end. Ever since, sadly, our society and current generations have never recovered. In my opinion, every single person could benefit from a Digital Detox, no matter who you are or what situation you are in!
Although I never think about it or realize it, I am challenged everyday by technological devices and connections. Every single day when I pick my phone up in the morning, open my laptop up for school, or sign in to my computer at work I am setting myself up for yet another day surrounded by various technology and digital devices. But how can you even escape that when that is how you live day to day live? At this point, it is not about escaping the amount of time you spend behind a digital screen, it is about managing how often you surround yourself and your daily routine with it. Although technology, social media, the Internet, and digital devices are seen and utilized anywhere and everywhere in day-to-day life, individual can learn how to manage a healthy amount of time spent behind a screen. When I am communicating with my friends and family on my iPhone or scrolling through social media to see updates from my followers I do not think of it as a bad thing, but I do see how much I rely on it to communicate with others and “stay in the loop”. I find myself picking up my phone seconds after my alarm goes off and then, every single time, laying in bed for a chunk of time catching up on everything I missed in those 8 hours of sleep. If anyone is every questioning whether a Digital Detox is the right option for you and beneficial to your everyday life and routines, just look at the Screen Time Feature on your phone and you will be able to tell if you have an addicting problem or not.
There are various actionable steps that not only myself, but many other people, can take to establish healthy technology use and habits in daily life. My first recommendation and idea are to take time off a screen and disconnect from any and all digital devices two hours before going to bed and two hours after waking up. Research has shown that screen time before a night of sleep and after waking up in the morning can have a significantly negative impact on one’s brain and mental health. Another step to establishing beneficial technology use is to turn off notifications and remove any toxic applications downloaded on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. The Center for Humane Technology published a great, educational article that portrays important steps an individual can take to increase digital well-being and regain control over their digital devices. Take a look and maybe you can get some ideas of where to start with your own devices and then eventually invite friends or family to join in.
I can confidently say that I have experienced an immense amount of stress and anxiety associated with being overly connected online. This is in terms of how many hours and minutes I spend in front of a screen and my addictive attention to social media, work, school assignments, and other tasks. Technology will forever be in our lives, I mean it is only advancing and will never quite be taken away from society. Although I cannot help how much digital technology is involved in my academic life and future work career, I can manage how much time I spend with online technology and the Internet beyond that. My first and biggest piece of advice is to take the time to take care of yourself. Make it a goal to reduce the anxiety and stress building up, instead of adding to it. My second biggest piece of advice is to digitally disconnect for a certain amount of time every week. This is not only for yourself but for your mental health and wellbeing.