The BFFs Guide to a Digital Detox

BEEP!... BEEP!... BEEP!! My alarm buzzed angrily at me as I gingerly eyed it with dreary sleep-laden eyes. Bringing my hand down on the snooze button, I clicked it with a sigh and turned to the familiar, sweet comfort of my warm bed and SLEEP. How did I get here again I wondered? For the 4th night in a row I sat up binging the latest season of Stranger Things but can you blame me? If my failing grades were any evidence then yes.

But how could I put my phone down- just like that? I mean there’s no doubting that we've more access and connections than ever before.

Sure, this kind of connection has advantages—keeping up with friends and family is easier than ever; social media enables self-expression; multitasking is easier—but it also has some severe negatives.

While staring at our smartphones may be enjoyable in the moment, "pleasurable habits are addictive," according to founder of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction, David Greenfield, PhD.

And they come at a price. More and more young people are now seeking diagnoses for issues stemming from digital addiction- ranging from attention disregulation, insomnia and extreme social media addiction.

But giving up your whole screen time?

Nobody wants that!

Fortunately, experts agreed there’s no need to break up with your phone entirely—you simply need to loosen your grip on it.

Read on to know the guide to develop a better relationship with your technology.

Disable Push Notifications

Constantly receiving updates on what's going on with your BFFs is fun but also distracting. Getting interrupted by notifications every 5 minutes is sure to derail even Megamind’s train of thought!

One simple solution is to disable as many notifications as you can live without or disable these during focus hours.

Black and white conversion

One of the reasons our phones are so appealing is because they are COLOURFUL. Seriously, bright shapes and colours work on toddlers and grown ups too and app makers know it very well.

Dr. Greenfield advised going vintage. Many smartphones now have the option to modify the settings so that the entire device displays in grayscale.

During meals, put your phone away

Are you guilty of treating your phone like a third arm? Do you feel anxious at the thought of leaving your phone alone for even a short period of time? I do and I’m guilty of taking my phone into every space including at the dinner table, much to the displeasure of my dear mum.

A study published in the journal Environment and Behavior in 2014 found that even putting our phone on the table during a discussion might diminish the quality of the interaction—our brains are just waiting for it to light up, and as a result, we are not really present.

So next time you’re sitting down for a meal with your girlfriends or a loved one, do yourselves a favour and put down the phone!

Establish Tech-Free Hours

Many of us feel “incomplete” without our smartphones, yet disconnecting from technology may be beneficial to our health.

"Begin by selecting a period each day that is tech-free—say, when you're eating lunch," said Adam Alter, PhD, an NYU professor and author of multiple books on tech addiction.

"Then wait a week or so and see how you feel; most individuals are pleased with the adjustment and continue to extend it."

Create a no-technology zone in your bedroom

"The majority of individuals use their phone as an alarm clock," Greenfield explained. When you grab your phone to snooze the alarm, it's all too tempting to begin browsing through Instagram reels. Ding ding ding! Guilty as charged.

In fact, it is preferable if you can put your phone outside the bedroom at night and get an alarm clock.

Make your bed a device-free zone to encourage deeper and longer sleep as well. Blue light from screens confuses our brains into believing it's sunlight, making it difficult to sleep.

Limit yourself to using only one screen at a time.

When we're trying to work and start browsing, our minds go wild. Multitasking is hard enough without adding screens to the equation and it takes several minutes to recalibrate our brains back to the original task once you get distracted. Make a habit of only looking at one screen at a time to improve concentration—and, in some cases, mindfulness.

Clean Up Your Social Media Accounts This Spring

Social media allows us to engage with others in novel and very rewarding ways. Although according to a 2017 study, the more time study participants spent on Facebook, the worse their mental health felt over time.

That's hardly unexpected considering that we only see a highly controlled version of our friends' and celebrities' life, which may be detrimental to self-esteem.

How can we remain sociable while simultaneously being healthy?

Experts believe that the key is to be proactive about who and what you follow. Think about what/ who makes you happy or unhappy and clean up after that- until you’ve reached your most rewarding connections.

Install the Correct Apps

For good reason, many of us are attached to our phones. Checking our gadgets triggers the brain's reward system, causing the body to emit a surge of the "pleasure hormone" dopamine, according to Greenfield.

It may sound contradictory, but these applications can actually assist you in reducing your reliance on, well, all things digital: The Freedom app allows you to block any sites that distract you on your mobile device or computer in order to help you focus; while Off-Time for Android allows you to block calls, messages, and alerts (the iPhone's "Do Not Disturb" option provides a similar function).

Keep Your Body Safe

Follow the 20-20-20 rule to avoid eye strain. Gaze up at an item 20 feet in the distance for 20 seconds every 20 minutes you look at a screen.

Also, remember to blink!

That’s all the tips for now to get you going on your rewarding digital detox- see you on the other side and remember- to put your phone down!