Digital detox is especially popular at the beginning of the year as part of New Year’s resolutions. It’s about limiting and consciously shaping your media consumption. TECHBOOK offers tips on how to best achieve this.
Media and digital technology are a fixed part of everyday life for many. Checking personal messages and emails, repeating the process on a work phone, reading the day’s news while listening to music or a podcast, then binge-watching a series–for many, this is normal. However, it can become stressful and time-consuming in the long run. That’s why many people, especially at the start of a new year, aim to reduce their media consumption. In practice, this often fails due to ingrained habits and certain communication necessities. Nevertheless, there are some tips that can help make a digital detox as effective as possible.
What is Digital Detox?
The English term “digital detox” translates to “digital detoxification” in German. It’s about regulating your digital behavior and spending less time online or with smartphones and similar devices. The term “digital fasting” is also often used.
One goal, besides general regulation or even abstinence, is to become aware of your media consumption. Which content is beneficial and which is not? In which situations is it better to just leave the phone aside? And when can the smartphone serve a useful purpose in everyday life?
Why (Digital) Breaks Are Important
The human brain occasionally needs breaks to process external impressions. Grabbing the phone to play a mobile game or watch TikTok videos may seem relaxing at times. However, this is not the mentioned break for the brain. This is also emphasized by Prof. Frank Erbguth, a specialist in neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry, and president of the German Brain Foundation. “The brain likes to be occupied, but it also needs breaks,” the expert emphasizes in a conversation with TECHBOOK.
Only then can the default mode network truly work. This involves certain brain regions that are only active and interconnected during idleness. Rest periods are also important for the development of creativity, according to Prof. Erbguth. “Under constant infotainment and the like, this is not possible.”
The expert also points out that frequent smartphone use leads to multitasking. Often, people check messenger messages while doing something else. This is not only proven to be inefficient but also harmful in the long run, warns the expert. A digital detox can only help to a limited extent. However, if implemented consistently over the long term, it can provide relaxation.
Tips for a Digital Detox
Even 15 minutes of truly letting your mind rest can be beneficial, says Prof. Erbguth. To implement this effectively, the expert recommends rituals or rules. Ultimately, different things help different people. Nevertheless, the TECHBOOK editorial team has compiled a few helpful tips.
Planning and Preparation
Like other projects, digital detox depends on proper planning.
The fact is, many people are online more because they need or want to be reachable at all times. There can be good reasons for this. For a successful digital detox, it’s important to get your environment on board. Let your contacts know that you will be less reachable. Indicate that they can reach you by other means if necessary. When the likelihood of missing something important decreases, such as with a turned-off smartphone, the temptation to turn it back on is also reduced.
You should also consider in advance what is realistic. Do you need certain media for your job? How much downtime do you want to take? To make a digital detox sustainable, it would not be beneficial to set unrealistic expectations for yourself that you cannot meet in your personal daily life.
Related topic: When to Turn Off Your Smartphone
Smartphone-Free Zones
Even though a digital detox is not synonymous with giving up a smartphone, the mobile phone is often the most important factor. Therefore, it can help to define some zones where the smartphone has no place.
The bedroom is particularly suitable for this. Then you don’t look at your phone right after waking up or check your messages before going to sleep. Many people also take their smartphones to the bathroom. This is not only unhygienic but also wastes time that could be spent on non-digital activities.
You can tie these zones to certain activities for a digital detox. For example, when spending time with friends, commuting to work in the morning, or having dinner. Maybe you can also try spending an entire day offline, actively changing your focus.
Analog Alternatives
Perhaps the most important point for a digital detox: You should find alternative activities. Often, the smartphone is simply a convenient solution. This can start small, such as buying an analog alarm clock. Then you are no longer dependent on having the smartphone near the bed to wake you up.
A route can be quickly determined with Google Maps, but it can also be fun to discover new paths using an analog map–or just set off without a specific plan. Old-school pocket calendars are not only practical but also visually appealing. The same goes for wristwatches.
And family and friends might appreciate receiving a letter not just at Christmas but also at other times. Board games can be played alone or together. The more alternatives you find, the easier the digital detox becomes.
Actively Turn Off Devices
Simply putting the smartphone aside is often not enough. Subconsciously, you know it could ring at any time. Therefore, you should really turn off the phone during rest periods.
The same goes for other technical devices like the TV or the laptop, which many people just close after use. Turning off devices not only saves electricity but also increases the mental barrier to turning them back on.
Mindfulness Exercises and Journaling
Mindfulness is an important keyword when it comes to a digital detox: You should pay attention to yourself and your media consumption. Certain exercises can help, especially tried-and-true methods like breathing exercises or yoga. They are useful for getting the body used to certain rest phases. If possible, take at least half an hour a day for this.
Reflecting on these phases afterward can also be sensible and helpful. Consider keeping a journal where you actively engage with your digital behavior. Reducing social media activities can be another side effect of this.
Digital Detox Apps
As paradoxical as it sounds, there are also apps that can help with a digital detox. These can be applications that analyze your smartphone behavior and make corresponding suggestions. There are also apps that allow you to specifically control your screen time. “Attentive” for iOS is one example, or “ActionDash” for Android. Both programs help identify unnecessary screen time.
Many smartphones now offer corresponding options themselves. In the Android settings, you can find a tab called “Digital Wellbeing.” It shows the time spent on individual apps. On the iPhone, you can set specific rest periods, and the device will remind you accordingly.
Otherwise, apps are a good keyword. You can also adapt the smartphone for a digital detox. Uninstall apps that unnecessarily keep you glued to the screen for long periods. Disable push notifications that might distract you.
Related topic: Tricks Apps Use to Keep Us on the Screen Longer
Radical Digital Detox Often Only Possible in Exceptional Cases
For a radical digital detox, meaning a complete abstinence from corresponding devices, there is usually no room in everyday life. Most people are too dependent on smartphones and laptops for work. And even though a “digital detoxification” can be sensible and even necessary, the digital world naturally offers many advantages.
Those who really want to live completely offline for a limited time can now find various programs in monasteries or self-care facilities. Generally, it’s easier to implement a digital detox in unfamiliar contexts–in different places. In everyday life, certain patterns have crept in, and there is often another necessity for communication. Try planning and executing your next trip without digital help–only use your phone in emergencies!
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