How To Do a Digital Detox
The term digital detox continues to be discussed every year as a must do activity especially as everything we do in life becomes more and more connected. We are evolving into the Jetsons world (the TV series). Ask yourself the following question, “How many people do you know that don’t have a smart phone?
Everyone seems to be connected the elderly, families, business, and children. The Internet for many has become and addiction like crack cocaine.
The International Journal of Obesity prepared a study and found that the over-stimulation of technology may have crossover toward higher probabilities of obesity, depression, stress and sleeping disorders.
However, let’s not forget that there are safety benefits of carrying a cell phone, kids emergencies, not getting lost with a GPS, etc. It does make us wonder how in the world did we every get by with just a pay phone booth.
Consider what a full digital detox would look like for you. I mean full all in detox over a weekend. Of course notification would be necessary to clients, family, or friends. Would you be able to handle not being connected for a few days and what would it do to you? It does sound hard! Of course you can take a few hour detox to ease into a multi-day detox. Consider a tech detox in the morning for 2 hours, lunch break – get outside and go for a run (no GPS watch, heart rate monitor, etc.), or the evening 3 hours before going to bed.
However, why not just go BIG and try it for a weekend.
The steps are easy – NOTE I have not done this but have it penned in the 2016 calendar.
- Schedule 2 days – weekend, etc.
- Notify friends, family, etc. about the off the grid time.
- Email notification – (“Don’t expect a reply for the following dates”) and all social media connection that you are off the Internet.
- Set up an emergency plan.
- Complete disconnect requirements: No TV, No Internet, No GPS, and No cell phone.Take all the devices and physically put them in a box.
- Pick a location or destination to do the disconnect (can be at home – however it must be made IMPOSSIBLE to plug in)
- Don’t plan your day(s) at all – just let it happen.
Just imagine actually having to ask a person for directions (use a paper map). Try to draw something, read a book, play some games, get a hobby or a pet, write in a journal or just go outside for some exercise.
I don’t know what this result will be personally, but I will post some thoughts about what happens – let me know if you decide to try it – good and bad.