Where your attention goes, your energy flows.

Itâs been 13 years since the invention of the iPhone, and by now, weâre well aware of the downsides of using too much technology.
We know digital devices can harm our physical and mental health. Weâve read the studies about social media and its association with anxiety, depression, and psychological distress.
And yet, most people continue to refresh their news feeds on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook as if they didnât know.
These people hijack their ability to do anything meaningful with their lives. While they feel theyâre working, for example, they do nothing more than shallow work.
âTechnology is a great servant, but a terrible master.â
â Stephen Covey
And while 99% of technology users distract themselves from the things that would change their lives for the better, you can decide here and now to take back control of your attention.
By doing a digital detox once in a while, youâll set yourself up for a happier, healthier, and more meaningful life.
Hereâs what it is, why you should do it, and how you can do a detox from the comfort of your home.
What is a âDigital Detoxâ?
A digital detox is a short-term intervention, and contrary to daily habits, is done once in a while. The duration is up to you (more on that in a few sentences).
During a digital detox, you quit your modus operandi. You stop relying on your brainâs default network. You step away from the screens and step into the clarity of your mind.
During a digital detox, you give your eyes and brain a break. You can use it as an opportunity to reduce stress. You can focus on social interaction in the physical world or use the space for inner work.
Why You Should Try A Digital Detox
By doing a digital detox, youâll reap countless benefits along the way. And while they are powerful and simple in themselves, they have a positive impact on other areas of your life.
#1. Youâll Connect With Yourself
When youâre staring at your screen, youâre unable to feel your body.
While I love to write every morning for some hours, Iâd be lying if Iâd say my body loves it. I canât connect with my body when I focus on a screen.
Any online stimulus, like a dopamine shot from a LinkedIn notification, can distract you from your bodyâs signals. We lose any mind and body connection.
By saying no to your screens, youâll say yes to your body. Youâll not only notice how you feel but also have the time to do things that make you feel good.
Stop looking at your screen and start looking inside yourself. Connect with how youâre feeling and read your signs for change.
Paying attention to your feelings instead of your phone will upgrade the course of your life. Promise.
âDisconnecting from our technology to reconnect with ourselves is absolutely essential.â
â Arianna Huffington
#2. Youâll Live Your Days with a Clear Mind
Inner peace and joy come from living in the present moment. By refraining from technology, we create the environment to really enjoy and see whatâs happening in front of us.
I checked my phone first thing in the morning for a decade. It wasnât until I made the first digital detox that I experienced the power of not using technology.
Since then, I write every morning for three undistracted hours. And by undistracted, I mean no phone, no social media, no e-mail.
Our mind works at best when we give it space to unfold.
By using digital detox, you can realign your attention on what matters to you.
By leaving all your distractions shut, youâll be able to center your focus on the things that bring meaning to your life.
âWhat we choose to focus on and what we choose to ignore, play in defining the quality of our life.â
â Cal Newport
#3. Youâll Protect Your Time
Too often, we give away our time without realizing itâs a highly restricted resource. Time is the most precious thing you have and itâs ticking away with every second.
Everything you consume, information, news, messages, notifications food, shape your days, and ultimately your life.
And while itâs easier than ever to let let Instagram, Netflix, or Youtube rob your time, these services wonât improve the quality of your life.
By doing a digital detox, youâll be treating your time in a way that it deserves to be treated.
You control what you spend your days on. Itâs you who determines whether you control technology or let technology control you.
âNo person hands out their money to passersby, but to how many do each of us hand out our lives! Weâre tightfisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which we should all be the toughest misers.â
â Seneca
How You Can Do a Digital Detox
So, you know about the meaning of digital detox and the benefits that come along with it. Itâs time to apply this intervention to your life: How do you conduct a digital detox?
#1. Decide what youâre going to detox from
Before starting your detox, be clear about what youâre abstaining from. This will look different for everyone.
Hereâs some inspiration of what I include in my digital detox:
- Smartphone
This one is the game-changer. In my first detox, I tried to use it in flight mode to add some music to my time. Again, I was tricked into some other apps.
Every time I switch off my smartphone completely. - Computer
While I use my computer mainly for work, I also include it in my digital detox. I didnât want to have the temptation to open a side tab on LinkedIn to check a message quickly. - Kindle
This one is tricky. Itâs not really a device that distracts me, but I feel I want to refrain from everything that has a screen. So no Kindle for me during my digital detox.
Once you have decided on what to detox from, youâre ready for step two.
#2. Set a specific time frame
This one is critical. Unless you have a clear goal in mind, youâll find yourself on your computer and smartphone faster than you can imagine.
My first digital detox failed not only because of my smartphoneâs flight mode but also because I wasnât clear on this one.
I thought Iâd go for on so long that it feels good.
Turns out this was a bad choice.
By setting a specific time frame, you have a clear goal in mind. For a starter, you can aim for 5 hours and gradually increase the length as it feels right for you (and as your work allows).
My digital detox range from 3 hours to 21 days. Thereâs no right or wrong duration. And any length is better than none.
#3. Plan what youâll do instead
In the end, youâre not detoxing to punish you. Youâre not using technology to reclaim your focus.
Here are some suggestions what you can do while fasting on your digital devices:
- write a journal entry
- take a bath
- envision your 5, 10, 20-year future
- create a vision board
- clean your apartment
- create some art
- meditate
- read a physical book
- go out in nature
- cook and eat with full presence
- work out or stretch
- write letters to people you love
Whatever you decide to do, make it something you genuinely enjoy.
And think about an offline treat you can do when you want to get up and pick your phone. Thereby, youâll set yourself up for a successful digital detox.
âIf we donât create and control our environment, our environment creates and controls us.â
â Marshall Goldsmith
Final Note
In 2020 itâs a luxury to refrain from technology for a longer period. To do a digital detox:
- Decide which devices you will detox from
- Determine the duration of your detox
- Map out what you can do instead
Yet, weâre so used to using our devices every minute that the idea can feel daunting first.
Donât ever let any post make you feel overwhelmed because youâre not practicing all the suggested steps.
This article is here to help you live a more intentional lifeââânot to let you feel bad.
Use these ideas as a source of inspiration and brainstorm what might help you to live a happier, healthier, and joyful life.
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