Digital Detox: Aiming to become social media healthy

- September 09, 2020

Social Media has its various purposes and many benefits. However now social media has grown a different connection to humans, one where we treat our phones like it is a segment of our own body. We unintentionally find ourselves wandering into and out of different apps on our phones for hours, sometimes without any purpose. For many, this has become a part of their daily routine.

The world spends an average of almost 3 hours on social media daily. While we may think of it as unharmful scrolling, we unconsciously compare our lives to the ones we see online. We judge ourselves and start planting the seed for low self esteem, anxiety, depression and other detrimental effects on Mental Health.

This is where switching off is required and this is when Digital detox is needed.

“We live today not in the digital, not in the physical, but in the kind of minestrone that our mind makes of the two” ~ Paola Antonelli

Imagine spending a day without social media, a day where you dedicate yourself to engaging with the real world only. Where you get to re-connect with yourself, and get a chance to evaluate your own usage of Social media. Wouldn’t it be nice to not check your phones first thing in the morning for once? Where its just you and your Offline life. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it? This is what digital detox experiences are all about. A period of time where we restrain ourselves from using digital devices in order to break the pattern of it’s excessive use, and instead prioritizing face-to-face connections as well as harmony with nature. Giving us an opportunity to increase our mindfulness and to reduce the stress we encounter on the daily.

How you can digital detox:

Growing interest

Becoming attracted towards the initiative beforehand is the first and very crucial step. There are a plethora of experiences to read upon on the internet in order to get inspired and motivated!

Planning the period of time

Consider how long you want your experience to be. Make sure to keep a realistic plan that also fulfils the purpose of the digital detox. Keeping a balance is necessary. Ideally, beginners attempt at “digital detox day” where they spend an entire day without social media and only use their phones for necessary purposes such as making important calls and writing required emails. Keeping these boundaries are crucial.

Engaging in de-stressing activities

Make disconnecting from your phones the priority, and instead engage in a revitalizing routine full of pleasant tasks. In your planning for the day, include morning yoga, try new hobbies such as cooking or drawing, engage in a calm and scented de-stressing bath to relax your body, call over your friends to do skin care routines that are tranquilizing, etc. These will help to reduce unnecessary stress and bring peace to your mind.

Connect with nature

One simply can not digitally detox themselves without spending time connecting with nature. Studies reveal that nature connectedness can make people happier, creative, and relieve their stress along with improving their physical health.

Make an outdoor lunch in the park plan with your friends, go for a walk with a family member and talk about all things life, watch a sunset and focus on how you’re connecting with the world beneath your feet.

Just imagine the calm feeling of letting out peaceful breathes outside the chaos within your phones to simply admire the nature around you.

Re-visiting your digital detox day

After completing your experience, don’t forget to evaluate it! Impact your daily life routine by bringing in the lessons you learnt from digital detox. Slowly and gradually, create a balance between social media usage and switching off from the online world. Make these practices a continual part of your life.

“Put down your phone and pick up your life”