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Abstract

e every day, as well as extended periods weekly or at least every two weeks. And a full 24 hours every month.</p><p id="1f55">Taking time away will make you more motivated and productive when you go back. You won’t dread opening up your laptop to do work. You won’t feel so exhausted and drained.</p><p id="0530">Not only will you have more motivation when you go back to technology, but during the break, you will likely find higher levels of motivation to do other things — to work out, to go for a hike, to read, to clean the house. You will have so much more time to think and to just be.</p><h2 id="3580">Embracing boredom</h2><p id="d896">We do anything to avoid being bored. And usually, our phones or other technology are great at preventing boredom. But learning to embrace boredom can be very beneficial, and boredom is something we should cherish.</p><p id="cce4">In fact, avoiding boredom actually rewires your brain, according to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Work-Focused-Success-Distracted/dp/1455586692">Cal Newport</a>. Without learning to wean your brain from constantly being engaged in something, you impact your ability to achieve proper focus when you actually need it. Cal explains,</p><p id="280a" type="7">“Much in the same way that athletes must take care of their bodies outside of their training sessions, you’ll struggle to achieve the deepest levels of concentration if you spend the rest of your time fleeing the slightest hint of boredom.”</p><p id="e574">You can’t expect to be constantly distracted and then sit down to do focused work and expect your brain to be able to maintain that level of focus. That’s like trying to run a marathon when you’re used to driving everywhere.</p><p id="3ea8">During your digital fast, embrace boredom. Don’t resist it. Accept it. Lean into it. Be bored.</p><h2 id="b6ce">Solitude</h2><p id="9ebe">We are losing our ability to experience solitude. Wherever we go, we either have people, our phone, a book or audiobook, or music. We are never really alone. We struggle to be alone with our thoughts. So we distract ourselves.</p><p id="6798">But learning to experience solitude is vital. We need to have the ability to be alone. With no input. To learn to listen to our own thoughts. To be aware of ourselves. To be completely okay on our own.</p><figure id="cd71"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*96LdISL9XN4j10rY"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@soroushkarimi?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Soroush Karimi</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h2 id="e11d">Creativity</h2><p id="7906"><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24749966/">Research</a> has shown that walking in solitude can boost creativity. Solitude is the absence of all outside input, such as is achieved during a digital fast. This type of input is conducive to clouding our creative ideas and thoughts. Clear away all the input, and you will see great increases in your output.</p><p id="35eb">Use your fast to engage in creative pursuits — write, paint, play an instrument, think of business ideas. This is the perfect time to be creative.</p><h2 id="7f3d">Control</h2><p id="60c1">So much about digital detoxes and digital fasts are about control — what has control over you?</p><p id="a6cc">Lynne M. Baab, the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fasting-Spiritual-Freedom-Beyond-Appetites-ebook/dp/B001HL0EZW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1510941315&sr=8-1&keywords=lynne+baab+fasting&linkCode=sl1&tag=artofmanliness03-20&linkId=26e899efe8dc43d1999f5e2b7a27f911"><i>Fasting</i></a><i>, </i>explains:</p><p id="0283" type="7">“More than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us.”</p><p id="cab3">You learn to be okay without. You learn to be happy without. You learn to be happy within yourself, without the need for anything external. You regain or maintain your control.</p><h1 id="0ea3"

Options

How to do a digital fast</h1><h2 id="9e17">Vitamin solitude — daily</h2><p id="a923">This is the short, easier version of a digital detox.</p><p id="7f6a">Cal Newport talks about ‘vitamin solitude’ in his book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Minimalism-Choosing-Focused-Noisy/dp/0525536515">Digital Minimalism</a>. This concept is so important — having at least 10 minutes each day where you are alone with your thoughts, and also at least one hour each week. This is a surprisingly powerful practice.</p><p id="f79c">When I haven’t had my ‘vitamin solitude’ or as I call it (based on Bill Gates’ ‘Think Week’), a Think Hour or Think Day, I start to feel depleted. When I haven’t been able to get away, usually into nature, alone with my thoughts, I’m exhausted, unproductive, and just generally not myself.</p><p id="097d">The important point here is to be completely alone. Not just having no one with you, but no phone, no music, no audiobooks. Just you and your thoughts.</p><p id="dd80">Bring a physical journal, and think about the following questions:</p><ul><li>How is your life going?</li><li>What do you want more of?</li><li>What do you want less of?</li><li>What isn’t working?</li><li>What could you do better?</li><li>How did last week go?</li><li>How did last month go?</li><li>What do you want to achieve by the end of the year?</li><li>What is serving you right now?</li><li>What do you need to let go of?</li></ul><p id="fe01">There are so many things to meditate on during this time. Write some of your own.</p><p id="17c9">Find a time and place where you can have at least 10 minutes of uninterrupted alone time. Maybe in the morning as part of a <a href="https://readmedium.com/the-morning-routine-that-will-help-you-find-your-purpose-eb80590e6321">morning routine</a>, or when going for a daily walk, or a solitary lunch break.</p><h2 id="a6b2">Full day</h2><p id="9b75">I use both daily and full-day digital fasts. I often leave my phone at home if I don’t need it, or I will put it on flight mode. I use my workout sessions as a good, solid break from my phone. I also don’t use my phone in the morning until about 10 am. Right now my phone is in another room (although I am obviously on my laptop).</p><p id="fb4c">But I also like to do a full 24 hour fast each month as well. I try to do this during my <a href="https://readmedium.com/8-easy-ways-to-detox-your-body-37b9176e1aa5">detox week</a>. I put my phone away by 8 pm one night, and don’t look at it again until 8 pm the next night. This also means no laptop, no audiobooks, no podcasts, no guided meditations. I’m completely on my own.</p><p id="5d85">I use these days to:</p><ul><li>Journal.</li><li>Read. A lot.</li><li>Set and revise goals.</li><li>Exercise and do mobility and stretching.</li><li>Hike.</li><li>Meditate.</li><li>Cook and bake.</li></ul><h2 id="14bd">Extended fasts</h2><p id="6e67">This is when you go for longer than 24 hours without any technology. I haven’t tried this one. While I do Think Weekends and Think Weeks, I have my laptop with me to do business planning and goal revision.</p><p id="febe">Ideally, an extended fast should be completely away from your normal daily environment. Try to get out in nature. Go camping or stay in a cabin. Getaway from the city and into nature. And don’t bring any technology (except maybe a switched off the phone for safety reasons).</p><p id="e85c">Digital fasts are arguably more beneficial than simply detoxing and minimizing your time with technology. While this is also important, a digital fast will give you all the benefits of any other type of fast. Digital fasting:</p><ul><li>Provides clarity</li><li>Enhances recovery</li><li>Increases motivation</li><li>Helps you to embrace boredom</li><li>Familiarizes you with solitude</li><li>Enhances creativity</li><li>Helps you regain or maintain control</li></ul><p id="658e">Whether daily, 24 hours, or extended fasting, taking complete breaks from technology will change your life for the better.</p></article></body>

The 7 Benefits of a Digital Fast

Why a digital fast is important and how to do it.

In addition to doing a week long physical detox each month, another powerful practice you should try is a digital fast. It is one of the most powerful and rejuvenating practices I have come across. Not only does it provide clarity and enhance creativity and motivation, but it teaches you to embrace boredom and solitude.

Digital fast vs. Digital detox

A digital detox is usually referred to as reducing technology use — such as turning off notifications, turning your phone off while working and setting limits for the amount of time you spend on technology.

While a digital detox is great, and I advocate for using these techniques daily, I also recommend a digital fast — taking extended breaks from using any sort of technology. You’re detoxing, but you’re also getting the benefits of a fast.

Fasts of any kind are good for you — they teach you to go without. They teach you how to be happy even in absence. Fasting can be an incredibly spiritual practice.

Fasts lead to an eventual gain despite the current absence. But what are we gaining?

Why a digital fast is so important

Seneca explained,

“By overloading the body with food you strangle the soul and render it less active.”

This can be said about anything — overloading your body with anything will strangle your soul. Whether this is food, alcohol, technology, or work. We need to take purposeful breaks from everything — consciously abstaining — from work, from food, from technology. This is where we will see the benefits.

Clarity

This practice can provide so much clarity. You’ll be able to see what’s actually going on in your body and in your mind. Are your muscles tense? Are you in pain anywhere? What are your thoughts doing? What is your subconscious telling you? This practice allows the space for you to listen to your body and your mind.

You will also be able to review and develop your goals with optimal clarity. How is your life going? What do you want more of? What do you want less of? What isn’t working? What could you do better?

A digital fast will provide clarity for engaging in reviews — of the last week, month, quarter, year, as well as planning for the next week, month, quarter, year. You will be able to look at where you’ve been and where you’re going with optimal clarity.

Recovery

Reflecting and planning are great for recovery. But a digital fast will also allow you to recover both physically and mentally. A digital fast will give you a break from the hectic lifestyle we lead.

This break will allow your mind and body to recuperate. This time will also allow you to better listen to your body and mind to understand what they need to be rested. By the end of a digital fast, you will feel rested and recovered.

Motivation

I don’t know if everyone is like me, but I start to go crazy when I’ve been staring at screens for too long or when I’ve been working every single day. I need time away. Time every day, as well as extended periods weekly or at least every two weeks. And a full 24 hours every month.

Taking time away will make you more motivated and productive when you go back. You won’t dread opening up your laptop to do work. You won’t feel so exhausted and drained.

Not only will you have more motivation when you go back to technology, but during the break, you will likely find higher levels of motivation to do other things — to work out, to go for a hike, to read, to clean the house. You will have so much more time to think and to just be.

Embracing boredom

We do anything to avoid being bored. And usually, our phones or other technology are great at preventing boredom. But learning to embrace boredom can be very beneficial, and boredom is something we should cherish.

In fact, avoiding boredom actually rewires your brain, according to Cal Newport. Without learning to wean your brain from constantly being engaged in something, you impact your ability to achieve proper focus when you actually need it. Cal explains,

“Much in the same way that athletes must take care of their bodies outside of their training sessions, you’ll struggle to achieve the deepest levels of concentration if you spend the rest of your time fleeing the slightest hint of boredom.”

You can’t expect to be constantly distracted and then sit down to do focused work and expect your brain to be able to maintain that level of focus. That’s like trying to run a marathon when you’re used to driving everywhere.

During your digital fast, embrace boredom. Don’t resist it. Accept it. Lean into it. Be bored.

Solitude

We are losing our ability to experience solitude. Wherever we go, we either have people, our phone, a book or audiobook, or music. We are never really alone. We struggle to be alone with our thoughts. So we distract ourselves.

But learning to experience solitude is vital. We need to have the ability to be alone. With no input. To learn to listen to our own thoughts. To be aware of ourselves. To be completely okay on our own.

Creativity

Research has shown that walking in solitude can boost creativity. Solitude is the absence of all outside input, such as is achieved during a digital fast. This type of input is conducive to clouding our creative ideas and thoughts. Clear away all the input, and you will see great increases in your output.

Use your fast to engage in creative pursuits — write, paint, play an instrument, think of business ideas. This is the perfect time to be creative.

Control

So much about digital detoxes and digital fasts are about control — what has control over you?

Lynne M. Baab, the author of Fasting, explains:

“More than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us.”

You learn to be okay without. You learn to be happy without. You learn to be happy within yourself, without the need for anything external. You regain or maintain your control.

How to do a digital fast

Vitamin solitude — daily

This is the short, easier version of a digital detox.

Cal Newport talks about ‘vitamin solitude’ in his book, Digital Minimalism. This concept is so important — having at least 10 minutes each day where you are alone with your thoughts, and also at least one hour each week. This is a surprisingly powerful practice.

When I haven’t had my ‘vitamin solitude’ or as I call it (based on Bill Gates’ ‘Think Week’), a Think Hour or Think Day, I start to feel depleted. When I haven’t been able to get away, usually into nature, alone with my thoughts, I’m exhausted, unproductive, and just generally not myself.

The important point here is to be completely alone. Not just having no one with you, but no phone, no music, no audiobooks. Just you and your thoughts.

Bring a physical journal, and think about the following questions:

How is your life going?
What do you want more of?
What do you want less of?
What isn’t working?
What could you do better?
How did last week go?
How did last month go?
What do you want to achieve by the end of the year?
What is serving you right now?
What do you need to let go of?

There are so many things to meditate on during this time. Write some of your own.

Find a time and place where you can have at least 10 minutes of uninterrupted alone time. Maybe in the morning as part of a morning routine, or when going for a daily walk, or a solitary lunch break.

Full day

I use both daily and full-day digital fasts. I often leave my phone at home if I don’t need it, or I will put it on flight mode. I use my workout sessions as a good, solid break from my phone. I also don’t use my phone in the morning until about 10 am. Right now my phone is in another room (although I am obviously on my laptop).

But I also like to do a full 24 hour fast each month as well. I try to do this during my detox week. I put my phone away by 8 pm one night, and don’t look at it again until 8 pm the next night. This also means no laptop, no audiobooks, no podcasts, no guided meditations. I’m completely on my own.

I use these days to:

Journal.
Read. A lot.
Set and revise goals.
Exercise and do mobility and stretching.
Hike.
Meditate.
Cook and bake.

Extended fasts

This is when you go for longer than 24 hours without any technology. I haven’t tried this one. While I do Think Weekends and Think Weeks, I have my laptop with me to do business planning and goal revision.

Ideally, an extended fast should be completely away from your normal daily environment. Try to get out in nature. Go camping or stay in a cabin. Getaway from the city and into nature. And don’t bring any technology (except maybe a switched off the phone for safety reasons).

Digital fasts are arguably more beneficial than simply detoxing and minimizing your time with technology. While this is also important, a digital fast will give you all the benefits of any other type of fast. Digital fasting:

Provides clarity
Enhances recovery
Increases motivation
Helps you to embrace boredom
Familiarizes you with solitude
Enhances creativity
Helps you regain or maintain control

Whether daily, 24 hours, or extended fasting, taking complete breaks from technology will change your life for the better.