Today, I would love to talk with you about this thing that has taken up some space in my head lately: digital detox, that is, when you try to drag yourself away from your devices and actually experience the world around you. Crazy concept, right?
So I thought, well, why not? I mean, let's get real here, we are all essentially glued to our phones, day in and day out. I catch myself just sitting there and scrolling on social media mindlessly when I could be doing, well, literally anything else. It's like my thumb takes on a conscious mind of its own.
No phone for an hour before bed. Sounds easy enough? Nope, those first few nights sucked. I kept reaching for my nonexistent phone, feeling like I was missing something important.
Spoiler alert: I wasn't.
A week in, I did notice something peculiar: I was falling asleep quicker and waking up fresher. I mean, who knew not staring at a bright screen right before bed would actually help someone sleep better? Mind-blowing stuff here, folks.
Emboldened by this tiny victory, I decided to increase the ante. I picked an entire day to be completely device-free: no phone, no laptop, no TV, Just me and the real world. I will admit, at first I felt a little lost. What was I supposed to do with all this free time?
Turns out, quite a lot!
I dusted off some old books I'd been meaning to read. I went for a walk in the park and actually noticed the trees and birds around me. I even had a face-to-face conversation with my neighbor.
And the most shocking thing? I missed my phone a lot less than I thought I was going to. Of course, there were times when I wanted to Google something random or see what was going on in social media, but these urges passed pretty quickly on their own.
By the end of the day, I was feeling different. More relaxed, present. Like I'd pushed some kind of brain reset button. I hadn't realized how much mental energy I was wasting on my devices until I took some time off from them.
Not that I am saying we should all chuck our phones into the sea and live like a hermit. Technology is amazing, and it's obviously a huge part of life. But maybe we could all benefit from taking a step back every now and then.
Indeed, since the experiment, I have been trying to make more "unplugged" time in my everyday routine. Of course, it is not easy whenever work and life demands pop up, but even small breaks can yield a great difference.
I have started leaving my phone in another room when I am eating meals; I try to have at least one device-free evening a week. And you know what? I enjoy my food more, can have better conversations, and feel connected way more to the people around me.
It's ironic, isn't it, how stepping away from technology can actually help in reconnecting with oneself and others? Who would've thought?
So here's a challenge for you: do your own mini digital detox. It doesn't have to be drastic, and you can start with 30 minutes a day. Just see how it feels. You might be surprised at what you find when you look up from your screen.
Until next time, happy unplugging!
