A Christmas Digital Detox

Good morning everyone, hope you’re all well and have been keeping warm, especially if you live somewhere cold. It has been absolutely freezing here this past week which didn’t help us when our boiler decided to stop working (thankfully it’s running again now). We’ve been busy little bees this past week, we had to go do some last minute shopping for presents then deliver said presents, which meant we had to travel to a couple of different places, and to top it off we’ve had back-to-back appointments, one of which was to the job Centre to sort out a mistake they had made, which makes me wonder if some people can actually do their job. Another thing I wonder is…are there any chivalrous people around? Not once or twice but multiple times this week I, a wheelchair user, struggled whilst we were outside and not a single person thought about helping or offering help, instead they just stood and watched and then proceeded to make things more difficult by cutting in front of me and preventing me from moving. Anyway, enough of my rambling and before I lose my faith in humanity completely, lets move on to today’s post.

Can you believe Christmas is only five days away, and with that means today will be my last post of 2023 as like normal I will be taking the next two weeks off to spend time with my family and trying to enjoy the festive season. But before that shall we get on with this weeks post. It is not surprising that many of us have been suffering from digital overload Moreso over the last few years, and taking care of our “digital wellbeing” has become a common theme. Social media, online shopping, making reservations, and even necessary chores like paying bills have meant that technology has pervaded every aspect of our lives. Whether home schooling or working from home, our mobile phones have never been far from our side. We’ve even embraced video communication technology for keeping in touch with friends and loved ones, whether they live locally or thousands of miles away. But with Christmas only days away, you may be planning to take a break from work and perhaps even go on holiday. So, why not take the opportunity to have a break from technology and try a digital detox? Read on for some useful tips that could help.

Set a Goal

You may need to start small. For example, try to go a full 30 minutes without looking at your phone, or spend at least an hour on the weekend without using social media. For those who have made tech the center of their socialization and entertainment, it takes time to reconnect with the outside world. Remember, small steps lead to long-term progress.

Turn Off Notifications

If you find yourself responding to every text alert, email, or ping from your social media apps, it may be a good idea to shut off the notifications in your phone settings. This can help curb the urge to respond to every noise it makes. You can also try the do not disturb function. Of course you don’t have to mute all notifications from your messaging apps, we understand that it is important to read messages at times. However, reducing the number of notifications you receive will result in you looking at your phone less often. 

Lock It Away

By far the most efficient way to get the most out of the experience is to lock your phone, laptop and tablets away. Of course, like i mentioned before you have the option to turn on “do not disturb” mode, or selectively turn off notifications on some apps. However, it is quite a task to turn off notifications for certain groups of apps, and with your phone still in your pocket there’s always an excuse to check Facebook or Instagram, to reply to an email, or upload a photo. So, the best solution is to go cold turkey and lock your phone in a box or hide it somewhere. This removes the challenges of turning off notifications or limiting your phone time.

 Make Your Bedroom A “No-Tech Zone”

Using your phone or tablet, or even watching TV in bed, can attribute to a poor quality of sleep. One study showed that 75% of children and 70% of adults use electronic devices in their bedroom. This can actually delay your sleep as using technology stimulates your brain, which in turn makes it harder for you to fall asleep and relax at night. It can also lead to a restless night sleep if you have sounds or blinking lights that trigger throughout the night from notifications. Try to mute your phone when going to bed and move it to the bottom of the bed, whilst keeping TV and game time limited to outside the bedroom. 

Switch your phone to flight mode at night

If the thought of not having your phone near you at nighttime fills you with anxiety, try switching your phone to flight mode instead. Horrifyingly, one in three of us are so addicted to our phones we check them during the night, according to a recent reports. That goes up to one in two when talking about 18-24 year olds. But checking Facebook at 3am can damage your life – with one-third of people saying the habit causes arguments, and sleep experts warning that it can damage health. Your brain needs time away from screens to delve into the sleeping mode because the blue light affects our sleeping behavior. That’s why we are complaining that we can’t fall asleep early. Scrolling on the phone or laptop and then immediately going to bed will keep us awake longer, which will affect our sleep hours and daily schedule. That contributes to our overall tiredness, too.

 Delete Unnecessary Apps

Clearing out your phone is almost like clearing out your home from clutter – it helps to free your mind and reduce your stress. This could work for your devices as well, so think to yourself ‘Have I used this app in the last month?’ or ‘Does this app spark joy?’ or ‘Did I download this app and never use it?’. Answering these questions can help to declutter your phone and tablets apps and result in a organised device that makes you feel calmer and more in control of your life. This means unfollowing accounts and pages that do not bring any value to your life. Following just a small number of pages/people that you are really interested in and removing the rest from all your social feeds will not only save you time but will also make you feel better about yourself at the end of the day. That’s because you can turn the extra time into quality time.

Don’t Forget To Plan

It’s very difficult not to unwind in the countryside. There, you don’t need to worry about navigating city streets and the overwhelming digitalised infrastructure of cities (such as apps for booking restaurants, cinema tickets and public transport). So if you can get away, it will make the detox feel much more natural. Prior planning is essential. Inform your loved ones and friends so you won’t be stressed about them trying to reach you. Print booking confirmations and train, plane and other travel tickets – and get a paper map so you can leave your digital devices behind. If you find the preparation too much of a fuss, you can book your experience with a digital detox holiday provider who will help with the planning and adjustment to a week or two without sensory overload.

Find The Positives

As technology is considered the “default” in our lives, you might experience some difficulties disconnecting cold turkey from a world where we are connected 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At first, disconnecting might throw up some considerable emotional challenges – such as feeling stressed, anxious or frustrated. Try to re-work the struggles in your mind as a positive by looking at the experiences as rewards rather than punishments. For example, not being able to use digital apps or websites to navigate around and find highly-rated restaurants can be frustrating – but it can also create a sense of excitement from having the opportunity to explore the unknown, experience unexpected encounters, or master new skills by going old-school by using paper maps or perhaps even a compass. You never know you might find hidden gems or more opportunities to talk to locals.

Connect With Loved Ones Face to Face

Technology has made it easier than ever to stay connected with friends and family, but it can also create a sense of disconnection when we’re constantly glued to our devices. By taking doing a digital detox, you can prioritize face-to-face interactions and deepen your relationships with loved ones. Additionally, it can be a good opportunity to connect with nature or engage in other activities that promote social connection and human interaction.

Rediscover Analogue Pleasures

Reading a book, playing a board game – those aren’t just things the younger members of your family will enjoy. Card and board games for older adults are having a bit of a boom as we all rediscover the joy of spending a bit of time away from a screen. Have a night where everyone gets to choose their favourite analogue game and you all play a few rounds.

Give Your Time

Not everyone is going to be surrounded by love and support this season. Look around at your community and see if there’s anyone you could give an extra helping hand to, or even involve in your own family fun. Volunteering to do some shopping for an elderly neighbor, or helping clear their front path to spruce up their house, may only take minutes from your day but make a big difference to their peace of mind.

Reflection

The most important tip is to reflect on the digital detox experience. Everyone has their own unique relationship with technology, and you would benefit greatly from finding the best way to achieve a healthier relationship with it. Try to use the experience as an opportunity to reflect on how the digital detox makes you feel, and what would you like to do after returning to the busy connected world to help prevent digital overload from setting in again.

Thank you for coming to my blog and reading today’s post, I hope you all enjoy the festive season and whether your spending it with family or friends, or just having a quiet one to yourself, I hope you have a lovely time! I will be back with my next post and the first one of the new year on the 3rd of January but before I go, I want to again wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you all in 2024! 🎉