We’re all guilty of spending too much time on our screens – hey, you’re looking at one right now and we appreciate the delicious irony we’re sharing in this moment together – but unplugging can restore a little tranquillity to your ‘always on’ lifestyle.
With our ever-growing reliance on being online due to lockdown restrictions, we think it’s more important than ever to spend some quality time away from screens, with our own thoughts or those of our partners and family. According to research people devote about a third of waking time to mobile apps and a staggering 4.8 hours a day. Those are some serious sessions, and for many, approximately 4 hours may even sound pretty modest!
According to a study sponsored by Vision Direct and conducted by OnePoll.com, the modern human will spend about 34 years of their lives staring at computer, phone or television screens. Yikes.
Though the term ‘digital detox’ has earned a slightly suspect reputation, beloved of influencers who like to live, love and laugh, the benefits can actually be huge. Don’t let your scepticism get in the way of putting down your phone and actually looking up to appreciate the world. With the help of The Body Shop, here’s 9 IDEAL tips to help you digital detox in 2023.
BE MINDFUL OF SCREENTIME
Try to be mindful of your screen time, which (for us, anyway) has reached pretty shocking heights during this extended period of social isolation and lockdown. But knowledge is power, and recognising that you’ve been using your phone too much is the first step in reducing your time spent swiping, scrolling and clicking. You could set limits or reminders or even use monitoring apps to prompt you; iOS and Android have built in Screen Time management tools.
TELL PEOPLE
Let friends and family know that you’re trying to cut back on your screen time usage, so they can support you and be aware there might be a delay in your reply. Sometimes it’s that pressure which hangs over you, urging you to reply, which keeps you checking your phone.
TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS
Turn off all banner-style notifications, pop-ups or sound alerts on your apps so you’re not constantly prompted to pick it up and have another look. There can be something rather alluring about that notification ‘ping’ or little red circle with a number inside; and that’s because such notifications are deliberately designed that way, to reel you in and give you an addictive rush-like feeling. Resist.
TECH-FREE BEDROOM
Are you guilty of taking your phone to bed with you and scrolling through your Facebook and Twitter timeline well into the night? We’ve all been there, and we’ve all felt the related insomnia as a result.
Make your bedroom a tech-free zone. Keep your phone in another room overnight, on silent, and if you need an alarm clock to wake you up, invest in an old fashioned one. Simple.
AIRPLANE MODE
Hands up who’s tried to reduce their smartphone usage only to find that they’re using it more than ever after a few days of effort? Hello? Hello? Hands up we said! Is anyone listening? Oh, everyone’s on their phones…
Sometimes, when willpower alone isn’t enough to bring down your screen time, you have to get stricter; put your phone on airplane mode and only switch it on when you need to use it. The act of having to take it off airplane mode and wait for WiFi connection can serve as a jolting reminder of your compulsive usage; so many times, we pick up our phone purely through muscle memory. Rewrite this learned behaviour.
BATHROOM BAN
Don’t take your phone into the bathroom. In doing so, you could make this tech-free zone your very own spa. Use your focus to tune in to the senses and enjoy a long soak in a foamy bubble bath or slather on your favourite skincare products. Or, simply cherish that time spent sitting on the can to do some musing.
ARM’S LENGTH
Often times, phones are most distracting when they’re in our eye-line or we can feel them in our pockets.
In fact, a study published in the journal Social Psychology via Time Magazine in 2014 found that ”just having it visible nearby may distract you from complex tasks”. And let’s face it; phones have got way more distracting since then.
So, adopt an ”out of sight, out of mind” mantra when it comes to your smartphone, placing it in a different room or a bag when you’re trying to work, relax or engage with a loved one on any kind of meaningful level.
IT’S BLACK AND WHITE
Convert your screen to black and white to reduce the urge to check it constantly (and stay ‘checking it’ for way too long once it’s unlocked). Suddenly the lure of the internet becomes far less appealing.
Once again, science backs this up. In Observer’s article ‘‘Grayscale Can Cure Smartphone Addiction”, they point out that ”by stripping away all the neuron-stimulating colors on your phone, you are less motivated to check your phone even without any calls ringing or notifications buzzing”, citing studies done on our reward system as evidence.
SPRING CLEAN SOCIAL MEDIA
Spring clean your social media. When you scroll through your feed, think about which posts make you feel good and which ones do the opposite. If what you’re seeing is taking away from your confidence or frame of mind, you can block, mute or unfollow.
Need more help on your journey to less screen time? Here’s 5 IDEAL ways to beat mobile phone addiction.