Digital Detox Time

 

Do you ever feel like you are drowning in your phone or digital presence? Like if you don't have your device on you at all moments of every day you will miss something important? If so, you are not alone. A lot of people, especially those that have been raised with modern technology experience "FOMO", which is the fear of missing out when it comes to events. There are times when this feeling gets overwhelming and that is when I personally take time away from my devices. 

Just this past Sunday, I woke up knowing it was time to step away from social media for the entire day. This isn't an easy task and for the first hour or two, I did want to go scroll through Facebook and Instagram, just in case. However, when I feel like I need a day away I take it because otherwise, my mental health takes a deep dive into a hurricane. To help myself complete a full digital detox, I delete all social media apps from my phone for the day. This helps me disassociate my phone from the online world. I then keep my phone in another room. Typically on Sundays, I have no need for my phone because my child is home and so is my husband, so anyone who would normally call or text me is already nearby.

After I got all the apps removed, and placed my phone in our bedroom, I felt a quick sense of anxiety, which eventually turned to relaxation once I shifted my focus on getting the house clean for the week. I set little timers around my house to focus on each room for a certain amount of time and had music playing from the television for background noise. This was the only piece of technology I used Sunday and it felt good. 

Once the house was clean (about 3 hours in) I grabbed up my current book and read. This is my primary way of finding peace away from my phone. I love being able to curl up with a good book and just put all my focus into the story. I finished two books in the course of the day, Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean. Both books were brilliant by the way and I would highly recommend them. I also started another book, The Horsewoman by James Patterson, but that one is going to take a few more weeks to finish.

Besides reading, I took a walk with my dog Tank for about 45 minutes around our neighborhood and enjoyed the light breeze. This is my favorite time of the year because it's sunny outside but not too hot. Although I did get sunburned Saturday 😞😞. I also spent a little time in my garden, getting weeds and dead plants out in preparation for my spring planting season. 

Overall, the break away from technology, primarily social media, was necessary for me and helped me reset myself in a way. When taking these breaks I try to focus on the joy of being present as apposed to the fear of missing out. 

Have you ever taking a day or more away from the digital world? What was your experience like?

Until Next Time

À bientôt!

-Renee Brady