Digital Detox: Taking a Break from Your Phone
Is your phone the first thing you pick up in the morning and the last thing you look at before going to sleep? Do you feel panicked if you misplace it? Are your friends and family accusing you of always being distracted by your device? If so, you may be due for a digital detox – and you’re not alone. According to Consumer Affairs, the average cell phone user spends more than four hours on their phone every day and checks it 144 times a day. Even more concerning, of the 98 percent of Americans who own a mobile phone, 57 percent admit that they are addicted to their device.
Why are cell phones so addictive?
The desire to constantly check or scroll your phone is fueled by dopamine, a feel-good hormone that surges straight to your brain every time you experience pleasure. Cell phones are masters at generating dopamine – who doesn’t love a hilarious TikTok video, a text from a close friend or a “like” on their most recent Facebook post? Your brain quickly becomes hooked on the dopamine rush and wants it more and more. Unfortunately, as with most addictions, excessive cell phone use can negatively affect your mental and physical well-being over time and distract you from the people and things that matter most. Lack of exercise, sleep problems, weight gain, low self-esteem and social isolation are all problems that have all been linked to cell phone addiction.
How can I detox from my phone?
Taking a short break from your cell phone, commonly called a “digital detox,” has been shown to help lower stress levels, increase productively and eliminate back and neck problems, among other benefits. But before diving into a digital detox, it’s important to remain realistic: Taking gradual steps to decrease the time you spend on your phone each day is much more effective than quitting cold turkey. After all, you still need your phone for some things – you just don’t need it as much as you think! Here are some tips to decrease cell phone usage:
- Do your research: What hours of the day do you use your phone the most and what are you doing on your phone during that time? This information will give you good insight into the relationship you have with your phone and the areas where you can cut back.
- Designate certain times of the day, such as mealtimes, working hours and right before bed, as cell phone-free. To resist temptation, silence your phone, turn off notifications and put it somewhere out of reach.
- Aim to start and end your day without your cell phone. Many people use their phone as an alarm clock but reaching for your device first thing in the morning isn’t a good start during a detox. At night, put the phone away about an hour before bedtime. Cell phone screens emit blue light, which can trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime.
- Purge your phone of anything that decreases your joy. The person on your friend list who is always complaining. The business that sends multiple marketing emails every day. The influencer who is constantly pushing expensive products that you don’t need. Find what triggers you and delete, block, unfriend or unfollow.
How long should a digital detox last?
The length of time is up to you and varies from person to person, but several days to two weeks is often a good starting point to help you evaluate your relationship with your phone and lay the groundwork for some new habits to take form. Remember that most digital detoxes aren’t a “one and done” approach; if you start to slip back into your old habits, simply take another break. Chances are, you’ll notice some positive changes in your mental and physical health that will stick with you after the detox and spur you down the path to progress.