How I Let Go of My Phone Addiction—the Digital Detox
We are living in an age of technology that has delivered digital devices to our hands, making communication and information accessible 24 hours a day. I know there was a time when I was glued to my phone. However, these technological advancements may actually be doing more harm than good to our health and relationships, and detaching from them is becoming a greater challenge by the day.
Although difficult, it is not impossible to digitally detoxify yourself. I did it and it has drastically improved the quality of my life. Here is how I set limits on my technology, refused to let it control my life, and successfully completed a “digital detox”:
1. Plan Your Digital Detox
Plan your detox to set you up for success. For example, don’t suddenly decide to detox at the last minute, not realizing you have three major deadlines coming up in two days. Look at your calendar and your to-do list, and begin scheduling your detox in a way that does not cause severe inconvenience to your regular routine.
2. Overcome Your Digital Addiction
Set boundaries; instead of letting your digital device control you, you control it. Don’t let it suck you in with web searches or endless information. Set a timer to put it down; set less and less time each day.
3. Entertain Yourself Without a Digital Screen
Find different ways to fill extra time. Carry a book in your purse or wallet, or a journal and a pen. Cook dinner, play board games as a family or squeeze in a walk or other exercise. I carry an “old-fashion” book of crosswords with me.
4. Turn Out the Lights Early
Digital screens occupy us from the minute we get up to the minute we go to sleep, and it is severely impacting our sleep. It can slow brain function, deteriorate our vision, and may even lead to obesity. In addition to restricting your time engaged with a device, set a time to turn off digital screens completely at least one hour before bed.
5. Go Old School
Go old school. Read a newspaper for your daily news, use a planner or calendar to track your activities, and carry a book. On car trips, make it fun for your kids—find a good station on the radio and pull out a map to let them help with directions.
6. Avoid Social Media
The evidence is growing steadily that social media may be having a detrimental effect on our mental and psychological well-being and may be harming our "real life" relationships. Social media is a video reel of edited snapshots; it is not someone's real life. Try to avoid it as much as possible.
7. Take a Break from Your Email
Email and a new “24-hour work day” has removed all vestiges of what it meant to be “off work.” You can now get pinged with an email nearly any hour of the day and it’s enough to drive a sane person crazy. Turn off email alerts if at all possible, and set specific times for when you will check it and respond to it.
8. Leave Your Phone Alone
Checking your phone gives the same kind of psychological stimulation as an addiction; you have to “wean” yourself off of it. Try turning off all alerts and set a timer for when you can check it next. Keep setting longer and longer times, and keep yourself occupied during those times.
Detoxing from my digital devices has improved my relationships, my quality of life, and my overall wellbeing. As our dependence on these devices grows, it is becoming even more important to learn how to manage them and how to keep them from destroying our lives. Try these steps for a happy and digitally healthy life!
Download your personal detox guide right now to start planning. Scroll down to the bottom of this page.
If you are feeling called to take the next step, contact me to set up a clarity call. Together we will discuss your healing journey, and make an action plan to get you to your goal.
If one-on-one coaching isn’t your thing, but you are ready to make a change, I have a super easy & approachable 14 day course, that will help you create healthy habits, and rid your body of toxicity and inflammation in a safe and natural way. For the price of 1 meal at a restaurant you can start changing your life, step-by-step at your own pace over a 2 week period. Check out the 14 Days to Vibrant Health Course here.
Namaste,
- Dr. Lara
P.S.
Don’t forget! Join me on my Facebook page,facebook.com/drlaramay, as well as Instagram & Twitter @drlaramay. Also, be sure to tune into my podcast on your favorite platform, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean or Anchor.Fm @Light Body Radio to get all the juicy info coming your way in a easily digestible format. I look forward to hearing your feedback, comments and suggestions.
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