"Detox" From Your Phone.
My hope is that the last post inspired you to consider taking a hiatus from some of your tech devices.
If it did, excellent. If it didn’t, go back and read it again (just kidding….but here it is just in case).
In this post I’ll be discussing what this hiatus could look like - versions of a “digital detox”, each with a varying degree of duration/intensity.
Before we begin, a few important things to note regarding the process of escaping your devices:
It will look different for everyone. The demands of work, family, etc vary between individuals. This is a personal growth process - make it work for your lifestyle.
When you’re reading the list below, avoid saying things like “I could NEVER do this! What about my BOSS?!” “What about little TOMMY?!” “What about GRANNY SUE?!?” Somehow we’ve survived as a species for a few million years without incessant vibrations and bells in our pockets or next to our heads while we sleep. Think of the process as testing the “I could NEVER” statement - maybe you can.
Like many habit changes, it’s helpful to tell those around you that you’re embarking on the journey. Simply alert those people you communicate with at a frequency higher than your detox length. More simply, if you typically text with Granny Sue on a nightly basis and you’re planning on taking a full one day detox, alert Granny Sue. Conversely, no need to alert friends you text sporadically. You also definitely do not need to alert your “followers” on social media. No one cares. If they somehow recognize that you were “offline” for a few days (that’s problematic in its own right), they’ll reach out and then you can tell them why and share your process. Even better.
Let’s get started.
This list will go from “light” detox strategies to ones that are a bit longer/more intense. Test, modify, and find a strategy (ies) that works for you.
Eating: Starting off simple - if you’re putting food in your mouth, get rid of your phone. It’s an easy way to block off a few chunks of time during your day with no screens. Further, it leads to more mindful food consumption (you actually taste and chew) and better digestion (you’re not anxiously hunched over your screen reading about the latest world-ending news headline or looking at how much fun your coworker is having on her trip to Aruba).
After Dinner: You finish dinner, you send your last text/email for the day, and you put your phone on airplane mode or turn it off. The following morning (once you have completed the important components of your morning routine) turn your phone back on. This will give you a few hours each day with no tech related interruptions and also valuable time connecting with a partner or loved ones.
Sporadic/Random Breaks: ALWAYS flip to airplane mode or turn off your phone during times of your day that require focus - working, meditating, etc., but you can also play around with random breaks. Turn on airplane mode “just because”. If you’re lucky, you might forget that you did.
One Day Fast: Just like longer breaks from food consumption, longer breaks from screens, dings, bells, whistles, likes, notifications, and fear mongering is also good for us as an organism. Pick a Saturday or Sunday to try a one-day detox. Shoot off a few texts in the morning alerting the folks closest to you and then stash your phone somewhere. Try actually leaving the house without it - it’s freeing and also a confidence booster to know that you can make it to the supermarket and back without the adult teddy bear.
Vacation Cleanse: On your next vacation, try a detox for a few days. Same principles apply - alert folks that you’ll be tough to reach, turn your phone off, and enjoy. The experience might be life-changing.
A few final notes:
You probably noticed I’m a big fan of airplane mode. I think there is an ease to it - it is one click away and happens instantaneously. You can toggle it on and off in less than a second and I think there is less friction to that process than turning off your device completely. Also, anywhere I said “airplane mode” or “turn off your phone” you can just substitute “put your phone somewhere out of reach” - whatever works for you. The only method I would discourage is “silencing” your phone. I think there is too much temptation to grab your phone and check it when you know that messages are still arriving in real time. But again, whatever works for you - know thyself.
These strategies focused on your phone - I think that’s the biggest culprit in terms of screen addiction and the associated negative side effects. I’ll cover other devices in upcoming posts which focus on more general tips for digital wellness and reducing screen time.
“The human heart can't live with constant sound or noise. It needs silence in order to heal itself. The only two things that are ultimately required for spiritual homecoming are stillness and silence. If, into your day, you can build little windows of silence and little windows of stillness, you will never lose touch with your deepest voice. You will never lose touch with your most secret belonging. Even though you walk and talk and act in the world, you will never leave the inner, tender home of your own soul.” - William Golding