Instagram is filled with food detoxes. Eat these watermelons to lose your belly bloat, Drink this murky green smoothie to cleanse your liver and cut out sugar to refocus your mind. These are certainly great for your wellbeing. But what about a digital detox? A digital detox means refraining from using tech devices like smartphones, tvs, computers and social media sites. “Detoxing” from digital devices might be the route to letting go of the stress that stems from constant connectivity. So, as an always on marketer, I’m digging into this one. Should we all do a digital detox this summer?
Why You Might Need A Digital Detox
According to research from the Nielsen Company, the average adult spends around 11 hours each day interacting with media. When you consider we spend 8 hours sleeping, that means most of our waking life is spent on a device. Many experts also believe that tech and device overuse represents a very real behavioural addiction that can lead to physical, psychological, and social problems. In a poll by the organisation Common Sense Media, 50% of teens reported that they felt that they were addicted to their mobile devices. 78% of the respondents said that they check their digital devices hourly.
In the American Psychological Associations’ annual Stress in America survey, one in 5 US adults cited technology use as a significant source of stress in their life. For many, it is the ever-present digital connection and constant need to keep checking emails, texts, and social media that accounted for this tech stress. Add to this, fake news stories, false flags and triggering posts, and it’s clear to see why social media riles people.
Other Problem Areas
- Always being connected can make it difficult to create boundaries between your home life and work life. I regularly see TikToks from disgruntled employees getting work requests while sitting on a beach trying to switch off.
- Social media has adverse effects on our sleep and mood. 70% of people check social media on their phones while in bed. Using social media when in bed at night increases the likelihood of anxiety, insomnia, and shorter sleep duration.
- A study found that heavy daily technology use was associated with an increased risk for mental health problems. More time spent using digital technologies was linked to increased symptoms of ADHD especially among young people.
- Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania linked the use of social media sites like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram to decreased well-being. The results revealed that limiting social media use decreased symptoms of depression and loneliness.
- Regular social media users may find themselves making unrealistic comparisons to friends, family, total strangers, and celebs. Whether it’s Instagram or LinkedIn, you might find yourself thinking that everyone else is leading a richer, or more exciting life. They’re probably not. But the highlights we see on social media present snippets of success that can be misinterpreted as everyday life. As the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy. Detoxing from your social connections can be a good way to focus on what’s important in your own life without comparing yourself to others.
It’s Not All Bad
Sometimes time with a device is relaxing. For example, I recently spent a very relaxing few hours watching Find Me Falling on Netflix. (Watch it if you didn’t already!) Stress down, happy endorphins up, it’s all good.
Another example would be podcasts while I’m travelling. They help me to learn about something new, absorb myself in a story and block out unwanted background noise. Journeys go faster when you’ve got some good podcasts lined up.
There are many reasons to give up your phone, reduce your social media usage and set device limitations. If you feel like your device use has become excessive and is adding stress to your life, stay with me.
You might also enjoy reading Social Media Managers and Mental Health – Are They Really Ok?
Signs You Need a Digital Detox
Do you need to do a digital detox this summer? Only you can decide that for yourself but if you’re checking a few of the symptoms below then it might be a good idea:
- You feel depressed, anxious or even angry after scrolling social media
- You feel anxious if you can’t find your phone or the battery is low
- You experience FOMO when you haven’t checked your phone for longer than an hour
- You’re preoccupied with the like, comment, or reshare counts on your social posts (I would make exceptions for social media managers as it’s literally their job!)
- You stay up late to play on your phone or wake up in the night to check notifications
- You’re not fully concentrating on conversations due to watching your phone
- Notifications irritate your mood and disrupt your offline activities
Let’s Do A Digital Detox
Ok, so as cofounder of a digital marketing agency I’m not going to tell you to move to the top of a mountain without your devices. For most of us, work means being connected to devices, emails, social media channels and internal communication boards. So, let’s keep this advice realistic. The digital detox process is more about setting boundaries and protecting your wellbeing and happiness. And that’s something that can be achieved.
- Identify the stressers – What do you find stressful about the digital world? Is it the doom scrolling? Is it the notifications? Identifying the specific areas of stress means you can find a route to reducing it. For example, you can adjust your notification settings on each channel to minimise disruption to your life. You can also set your phone notifications to greyscale. Did you know that the red coloured notifications are designed to trigger your senses?
- Set Limits – Those who know me know that I turn off my WIFI around 7pm. If it’s an emergency, call my phone. If not, it can wait until the morning. That’s just me. Find a timeframe that works for you and stick to it. Once others (including your workplace) understand your boundaries, it will become easier. You might also want to turn off your WIFI when meeting with friends, eating meals, working out or travelling.
- Set yourself 30 minutes a day for social media and no more. Research shows that up to 30 minutes a day does not have harmful effects on our wellbeing. But longer than that and side effects include anxiety, depression and loneliness.
- Pick a day each week to go without social media. For me, Sundays work best because I don’t answer emails, check social media notifications or post updates. Leaving your phone at home when you go to the beach, shops or for food is helpful here.
Digital Detox Tips
If you’re really addicted to your digital devices, you will need an action plan to detox successfully. Here are some of my tried and tested digital detox tips.
- Stock up your bookshelf. Having some great books ready to fit your mood is a great way to switch from digital to offline. You will also find that with your phone in airplane mode, you can absorb yourself in stories. If you haven’t read for a while, start with a book that you’ve read before or a childhood favourite. This will help to get you refocused.
- Tell your friends and family that you’re on a digital detox and won’t be online at specific times. This will set expectations and ensure nobody gets worried!
- Starting a new hobby is a great idea when embarking on a digital detox. Want to start painting, pottery, gardening, dog walking or fitness? Put the phone down and fully embrace your new hobbies.
- Delete social media apps from your phone to reduce easy access. Not one for marketers but perhaps for others? Do you really need all those apps on your phone or can they wait until you’re on your desktop?
- Take note of your mood when you’re not online. Do you feel anxious or more relaxed? If you feel anxious (FOMO) then it might be that you need more time to adjust without your device.
- Embrace the glimmers. Glimmers are small moments that make us feel a sense of calm, connection, peace, and safety. Comparing glimmers and triggers is another way to understand them. Social media can be triggering. Stroking your cat and listening to music is glimmering.
Nobody said a digital detox would be easy but is it worth it? I think yes, and August might just be the perfect time to do it. Who’s with me?