8 Mindful Tips for Taking a Digital Detox
How do we deal with the large amounts of information we are trying to process daily on our digital devices?
Using these digital devices is still fairly new and we aren't completely sure of the impact they will have long term. But you probably have recognized that the more you are on your digital device, the more distracted, less active, and more socially isolated you feel. That’s partly because they move at a speed faster than nature and are designed to keep us coming back for more.
I'm not proposing that we avoid all digital technology, but we can be more mindful of the impact large amounts of digital information are having on us. If we aren't mindful, we will find ourselves overwhelmed and letting our fingers make decisions on how we spend our time. Without thinking, we respond to notifications and apps, even if we feel pulled in many different directions in our everyday lives.
If you want to take back the choice of when you choose to work, respond, and connect digitally, then I invite you to join me on a digital detox. By becoming more mindful of your choices and behaviors around digital usage, you can let go of what's not working and focus on what could work better.
8 Mindful Tips for Taking a Digital Detox
So instead of staying distracted and comparing yourself to others on social media, let's explore how to use this technology to improve and not detract from our lives.
Mindfully Observe Your Feeling State When You Click on Any App/Tab: Are you bored, lonely, anxious, or experiencing another feeling? For example, as I'm writing this, I feel tempted to log off this tab to check social media. Instead, I'm observing what feelings are leading me to want to distract myself. If it’s an inner critic that tells us what we're working on isn't good enough, we may log into social media in an attempt to find something that distracts us. Yet, the more mindful we are about the reasons we let ourselves get distracted, the more choices we have.
Identify Your Goals for Using Social Media: Did you know that our brains are impacted by how many likes we get or don't get on a post we create? It lights up a reward center in our brain so that it feels like a rejection if there's no response. I'm not anti-social media and believe we can receive support virtually, but we need to be mindful of our reasons behind using it. Do you use social media to connect or disconnect from others? Or is it a way to distract from boredom or anxiety? If you don't like the reasons you are using social media, only open the app when you have a clear goal that feels good to you in the long run.
Pick the Number of Times Per Day You Want to Open an App: Identify ahead of time how many times you want to realistically click on an app or open your email on any given day. Target the ones you click on most mindlessly and then have an idea what times of day you would like to get on to either get stuff done or connect with others. And if it's hard to stick with the number you have chosen, go back to steps 1 & 2 and observe what's coming up for you. Over time, if you stick with your ideal number of times to open per day, you will find the sense of urgency to get on the app lessens. And eventually, you realize it can wait and you will decide when you respond.
Limit Notifications on Your Phone/Watch: To help you limit your mindless clicking and opening apps on your phone (and "smart" watch), take some time to update the ways you are notified when you have a new message. The more notifications and noises, the more it's suggesting that you need to respond right now. It's hard to detox digitally when your phone is communicating with you all day. What messages do you want to receive immediate notifications? And what messages do you want to decide when to look for updates?
Use a Device that Helps You Limit Distracting Apps: If you are struggling with steps 3 & 4, there is an app for that! I tried out many screen-limiting apps this past summer for myself and my family and honestly didn't find one that worked consistently. But Zen Screen had the most promise for what I was looking for. It gives gentle reminders to put your phone down and distinguishes between productive and entertainment apps.
Utilize an Inbox Clean-Up Service: If your email inbox overwhelms you every time you log in, you might try an inbox clean-up service. This is especially nice for your personal email if you have a lot of newsletter subscriptions and advertisements. I use “Unroll Me” to have all my sales and mailing list emails rolled into one email per day. You can easily scan one rolled-up email if you are looking for a coupon or delete it with fewer clicks. This service also helps you unsubscribe from mailing lists you are no longer interested in. (Update 3/17/23: I no longer use or recommend “unroll me”, as they sell their users’ information. In the long run, I learned it was actually creating more spam emails for me. Now, I unsubscribe from anything I don’t want to read regularly!)
Take a Regular Digital Cleanse Day: Taking a digital cleanse day was so much easier when our phones weren't so "smart." You may still find value in taking a day or weekend not to get on a certain app or device that you feel is distracting you from what you want to feel, be, or do. Be sure to notice any difference in how you feel the day you don't click on this device as it's likely to give you more insight into what you are "using" this app for. Otherwise, enjoy how present you feel to what is around you.
Go on a silent retreat: Put your phone on airplane mode. Designate a contact person for any family emergencies. Leave your phone in your room. Be around others who are also practicing silence, digital detoxing, and self-care. Bonus if you can spend time in nature, doing art, or other guided practice.
It's hard enough to prioritize ourselves. If we also get lost in the modern, digital world, then we are bombarded with messages and images that are likely telling us that we need to do more or we are missing something important. Take the power back by finding what works for you to use digital devices, while not being controlled by them.
what are some ways you’ve changed your relationship with your digital devices for the better?
Marci Payne, MA, LPC
Holistic Therapist in Kansas City, MO
I help adults get out & recover from burnout, people-pleasing & toxic relationships. Read more about holistic therapy with me.