You Need A Digital Detox Now More Than Ever

And that’s also why you won’t take one.

If you’re like many Americans, between work and how you spend your time at home, most of your day involves looking at a screen. On average, for about 12 hours a day. And screen time is way up, now that we’ve been under stay-at home orders.

If you’re not on your phone, you’re on your computer. If you’re not on your computer, you’re watching TV. You may even be doing all three at once! If this sounds like you, you may consider taking a “digital detox” from all the extra screen time.

Quarantine might even seem like the ideal time to do so, as it has possibly presented you with extra time to focus on all of the other projects you’ve been putting off or perhaps you desire to invest it in quality time with your family.

There are several hurdles you’re going to have to cross, however, to actually find success in getting away from the screen.

You’re bored.

You’re already home all the time, you’re bored, and you need distractions. Those distractions commonly come by way of digital entertainment. Cable, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, YouTube, you name it!

And we’re not just watching an episode or two; we’re binge-watching or “watching multiple episodes of a television program in rapid succession.” While this does offer us a temporary escape, it can also lead to situation depression when we run out of episodes.

Coronavirus News Coverage

The news cycle is an endless loop of Coronavirus coverage. Between the latest developments, statistics, and theories of what’s to come in the future, it’s information overload.

You want to stop watching it. It’s negative and you may find it ramps up your anxiety. But yet, you can’t turn it off. Things are changing quickly and you want to stay informed, so you can’t help but tune in at least once a day.

You’re can’t put down your phone.

Even if you’re not a heavy user of social media, you’re probably still attached to your mobile device. What makes a phone so addicting is that it’s everything all in one and we absolutely use it that way. Look something up on Google? There’s a mini-computer in the palm of your hand. Do some quick calculations? You can use for phone for that, too. Check the weather? There’s an App for that. Which means you can’t put it down.

Your phone is also, well, a phone. So it’s how you’re staying connected to everyone that you can’t see in-person. You’re facetiming with your parents and grandparents, and calling and texting with friends. Likely more than ever before.

Social Media FOMO

If you are a social media addict, you’re certainly not alone. In 2019, we spent 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media every day. This use has only grown since the stay-at-home orders went into place. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, they’ve got us right where they want us.

FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is what keeps us coming back and there’s no easier access point than the apps on our cell phones. Reassuringly, this article from Psychology Today tells us, “The good news is that very few people are genuinely addicted to social media.”

Do we need to cut the cord?

Set reasonable boundaries and limits for screen time.

As it turns out, there’s no need to go cold turkey. This study suggests that by simply cutting back the amount of time you spend using social media, you can actually reap the benefits of lowered anxiety, reduced FOMO, and significantly improved well-being

Check your mental wellness.

Think about ways to practice self-care in whatever capacity appeals to you. Go for a walk, listen to a guided meditation, take a bubble bath, or incorporate yoga into your daily exercise routine. These are simple things that can pack a 1–2 punch in the sense that they don’t involve a digital device and they’re mentally fulfilling in a powerful way.

Incorporate non-screen alternatives.

As I said before, you don’t have to go cold turkey on your devices. But it can’t hurt to trade in your eReader for an actual book, magazine, or newspaper. You could also check out an audiobook. Other swaps include trading productivity Apps for old fashioned to-do lists and gaming Apps for board games with the family.

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