Recently, I signed up for a digital wellness class. Not only was I more interested in hearing from an expert in this area, but also assessing my digital wellness level. I conducted a bit of research and found digital divide, equity, even detox had wide-ranging definitions. Each definition a “digital detox” varied extensively. From purists quite literally exorcising digital accessibility from their lives to those that targeted reduction from a specific device. For all intents and purposes of this post, I opted to work towards a specific digital phone detox/reduction.
August is my birthday month, a month I use as a cue for reflection. I know some individuals follow a calendar year reflection, however I find August is a month of endings (summer) and beginnings (back to school). The right mix of closure and starts to make. I also enjoy using this month prep for my favorite season Fall Ya’ll!
I began with practicing gratitude, setting Fall intentions, and honing in on my habits. I decided releasing digital time spent will assist in time needed to focus on the intentions I set. As you consider this exercise, be sure to consider ways you stress relieve. If your phone is a stress relief, this is not the exercise for you. For more on stress relief, take a look at most post about stress management.
Another way to think about a detox is dopamine fasting. According to the Well Being Manual, dopamine fasting is for a period of time stopping addictive behaviors and replacing them with seemingly mundane activities. For example, you may reduce your TV time and replace with 30 minutes of walk around your neighborhood. Of all the articles I read on this topic, I like the more plainly put summation “engage in activities that reflect your values” (Dr. Cameron Sepah in The Well being Manual).
My Guiding principles:
- Any App, website or entertainment deleted from the phone is not banned. I’m simply avoiding using it via-phone.
- The purpose is take make it just one step of friction to access them.
- Be gentle with yourself, make a small step each day.
- Don’t overdo it to get ahead.
- There’s a level of mindfulness that occurs in each conscious step.
- Set cues for yourself.
- Rather than my phone facing up on my desk, I face it down as a gentle cue not to pick it up.
- Once the 23 days is up, undue each step slowly and consciously.
- There may be items you immediately bring back as the deprivation was felt, or some that grow out of, building new more mindful habits.
Below are 10 ways to kick off a 23 day digital detox. There was no magic in the number 23, that number just felt right to me.
- Day 1 Delete 3 time drainer apps from your phone.
- For example, I removed Hulu, Apple TV, and Paramount.
- Streaming services I can watch on TV, but don’t need also on my phone.
- For example, I removed Hulu, Apple TV, and Paramount.
- Day 2 Turn on screen time on my apple iPhone and set a daily time limit of highest ranking entertainment Apps.
- Day 3 Turn off all phone notifications except text messages and phone.
- Do this in a way that is best for you…
- Apps I need for urgent or emergent communication I kept notifications on.
- Do this in a way that is best for you…
- Day 4 Set “do not disturb” at your “lights out” time.
- I opted to make this one hour before my normal time
- I’m very surprised how many preferences are in the do not disturb feature. It allowed me to customize how this feature should look for me.
- I opted to make this one hour before my normal time
- Day 5 Delete phone apps you don’t use that you should set on your computer for a more mindful experience.
- For example, perhaps there are apps, you should more routinely check and update during focused timeframes that ad-hoc on your phone.
- Day 6 Assess and/or deleted any Apps that may encourage you to shop in a way that’s not mindful
- Day 7 Make a list of things to do instead of picking up your phone.
- This was a fun one, and I kept a copy on my phone so I can also use it as a cue as well as sticky note.
- Day 8 Invite your family to join this exercise
- For us, this topic sparked a few more family movie nights and Uno games
- Day 9 Invite your friends to join this exercise
- I seperated these activities as I find it a good start with my family first then extending it
- Day 10 Recheck your screen time App and reward yourself for progress!
Be well,
Judith