- Why consider a digital detox?
- Simple strategies to start your digital detox
- Incorporating mindfulness into your detox
- Long-term tips for maintaining a healthy digital balance
Feeling the effects of screen time overload? Have a break from it all on a digital detox
Today’s world is more connected than ever. The fact that you’re reading this article through unseen waves beamed directly to you is a testament to the fact. With a few finger taps, we can chat with friends in other countries, watch rockets being launched into space, or laugh at endless cat videos. While this digital convenience has its feline perks, it can affect our mental health. A digital detox is the perfect way to pause, recharge and refocus. In this handy guide, we’ll show you how to say Sayonara digital noise! We’ll focus on improving your mental wellbeing and show you how to create moments of calm because if anyone knows how to Have a Break, it’s KitKat®.
Why consider a digital detox?
The world has gone digital-crazy and while it makes many things easier, it does mean we’re glued to screens on a daily basis. Even if you don’t work online all day, sometimes using a screen is unavoidable. You might want to book a gym class, do your grocery shop, check the weather or find the name of that actor who was in that thing about the shark tornados. Add to that the relentless pace of message services, family chats and meme-sharing groups and it’s easy to see why our brains are waving the white flag. Taking a digital detox is a fantastic way to restore a little balance.
Understanding the impact of digital overload
Like your neighbour’s car alarm going off at 3am, the ping of constant notifications is known to be a major source of mental fatigue. ‘Our perceptions of threat are largely due to our interactions with technology,’ says Dr Alane K Daugherty, co-director of the Mind and Heart Research Lab at California Polytechnic, in Psychology Today. ‘Whenever we hear a ding, a vibrate, a buzz, or feel a haptic on our wrist, our fear response systems engage, and our necessary moments of calm dwindle.’ As crazy as it sounds, it seems that being ‘always on’ causes our stress and anxiety levels to spike in the same way that our ancestors reacted to a sabretooth tiger rampaging our village – our fight, flight or freeze response is activated in a similar way, but instead of one sabretooth, there’s a hungry digital pack attacking us repeatedly throughout the day!
Alongside these issues, there are physical symptoms of ‘digital eye strain’ too, including headaches, discomfort and difficulty in focusing. But perhaps the biggest bad guy in this line-up of baddies is how screen time affects your sleep. As confirmed in this article by the Sleep Foundation, the blue light from your phone can throw off your circadian rhythm (your handy internal clock), affecting your sleep patterns.
Digital overload affects those around you, too. Too much screen time could also distract us from spending quality time with our families, both furry and non-furry.
The mental health benefits of taking a break
Taking a complete break (even a short one) from technology can improve your mind, body, and relationships. Physically, it reduces the strain of screen time, which could improve sleep – therefore putting more fuel in your tank. Mentally and emotionally, it will quieten the constant digital distraction and allow you to gather your thoughts. Socially, hanging out with friends in real life is another great way to feel connected and believe it or not, it does still count even if you don’t post it on social media!
If a complete break is not feasible, shorter breaks can work wonders for your mental wellbeing. Simply stepping outside for a quick walk can lift your spirits and boost your energy. According to NHS Every Mind Matters, these little actions can make a big difference in handling stress and keeping our minds healthy. So, instead of saving another recipe on Instagram that you’re never going to make, stretch your legs and get outside!
How a digital detox can improve focus and productivity
Have you ever picked up your phone to check the weather only to find yourself doomscrolling 15 minutes later? Don’t worry. It happens to the best of us. Like a cat chasing a laser pointer, social media algorithms are designed to suck in your attention, and this kills your focus. Sometimes, all you need to be more productive is a pen, a good old-fashioned To-Do list, and no digital distractions to have a better quality break.
Simple strategies to start your digital detox
To ease in gently to your detox, set small and realistic goals, such as ‘no screens before breakfast’, gradually increasing the window to all meal times as you progress. By slowly cutting down, you’ll find it easier to embrace a healthier balance – or take a complete break from technology – without feeling overwhelmed. Here are a few more suggestions to help you along the way.
Adjust Your Phone Settings to Limit App Usage
Outsmart with your smartphone! Many smartphones have built-in app limiters. Simply set up which apps are allowed and how long per day. There are also a host of third-party apps that either interrupt you when opening social apps or incentivise you not to use them – but they can come at a cost. A good starting point to limiting use is to see how much screen time you average daily (brace yourself!) Once you have a number, you can set your own goals to decrease it.
Schedule screen-free time daily
Dedicate specific times each day to unplug and unwind. Whether it’s a midday coffee break or an evening walk, scheduled screen-free time allows your mind to relax and recharge. Another easy solution for a distraction-free workday is to pretend that your phone is a hungry, multiplying gremlin and the only solution is to lock it in another room. In the evenings, why not do some family craft activities or baking with the kids, or go for a night walk together and listen for sounds of wildlife? You’ll find plenty of ideas and inspiration on the Nestlé Confectionery website.
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Create technology-free zones in your home
Mark out areas of your home as device-free zones, such as the dining room, bedroom, or garden. You could even create a daily challenge where the first family member to check their phone in the evening must either put five pounds in a weekly reward jar, make everyone tea or do the dinner dishes. Another great solution is to simply unplug the Wi-Fi during regular windows of the day and completely at night.
Set boundaries for digital communication
This one can be trickier in the modern workplace, but it can still be done. Instead of being always on, set windows of time to answer emails or enforce a no-phone policy during lunch hours – and don't forget to turn off your notifications. By setting clear boundaries, you can look forward to uninterrupted mental breaks. Just clear your new boundaries with your boss first!
Incorporating mindfulness into your detox
Mindfulness is a simple but powerful tool to help in your detox journey. Just like our feline friends and the laser pointer, it involves focusing on the present moment, and whatever activity or experience you’re doing right now. ‘This can be helpful because you have some control over the present, but you have no ability to go back and change things that have already happened,’ says psychologist Dr Becky Spelman in her video for NHS Every Mind Matters. ‘Mindfulness … is about appreciating what’s happening and enjoying the simple things in life.’
How to meditate during your digital detox
Meditation might be an ancient art, but it has never been more needed in today’s digital world. The good news is that you don’t need to be Master Yoda to master the art. It can be as simple as finding a quiet place to sit comfortably and focus on your breathing, young Padawan.
It sounds easy, but you’ll be amazed at how good your brain is at wandering off! Knock, knock! Who’s there? Gone. Gone who? Gone with the wind – just like your focus. What were we talking about again? Ah yes, but like anything, the more you practice, the better you will get. Start with small increments and slowly build up.
Want to have a go? Try our Instant Calmer: Easy 5-Minute Meditation You Can Do on Your Coffee Break. Baking is also a great way to practise mindfulness (avoid sourdough and croissants at first, unless you like a challenge). Anchoring your thoughts and tuning in to your senses of smell, touch, taste and sound gives you the chance to really be in the present moment and treat the experience as having a break. Need some inspiration? You’ll find plenty of ideas on Nestlé Confectionery’s recipe page.
Journaling as a reflection tool during screen-free time
Like a radio jumping between stations, our minds can be all over the place. It's well known that daily journaling is an effective tool to help unload the noise, reduce stress and improve your overall well-being. Scribbling out your thoughts and feelings enables you to process them, and as the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy reports, there are a whole host of psychological benefits in doing this. By releasing negative thoughts without judging them, journaling allows us to process our emotions in a safe space.
Long-term tips for maintaining a healthy digital balance
Building new habits takes time. The key is to start small and make the route to the desired behaviour as easy as possible – essentially setting yourself up to succeed from the off. With some planning and consistency, you’ll start seeing changes in no time.
Monitor your digital habits regularly
There’s a saying that if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it – and this goes for your digital habits. Use your phone’s built-in screen report to see where your time is going and cut your app list if possible. Daily tracking is the simplest way to see where those digital gremlins are eating your time. Stick to the limits you have set yourself and make sure you build in positive rewards: such as celebrating your wins with a well-earned KitKat® break!
Explore offline hobbies and interests
Throwing yourself into a new hobby is the perfect way to reconnect with the real world. Whether it’s the gym, painting, jiu-jitsu or gardening, these activities get you moving while tapping into your creative side. Crafting is another great family activity, and our Nestlé Confectionery site has plenty of family activity ideas to inspire you.
Taking a break for your mental wellbeing
A digital detox isn’t about cutting out technology forever, but the process can help you regain balance and control long-term. Think of it as powering up by powering down. By getting in the habit of scheduling breaks and downtime, you’ll create more space for meaningful connections and moments of joy. So, pause, breathe and enjoy the journey!
Questions
1. What is a digital detox?
A digital detox is a voluntary break from digital devices and screens.
2. How long should a digital detox last?
You are the captain of the SS Detox so steer your ship to calmer shores. You could schedule daily screen-free time or aim for longer periods, like a whole day or an entire weekend.
3. Why digital detox is important?
Being always-on can put stress on our mental health (remember the sabretooth tiger?). A digital detox allows you to step away from the noise to pause, recharge and refocus.
4. Do digital detoxes actually work?
Our handy guide contains lots of research and studies that conclude a digital detox can improve your mental health. Read our full guide for details.