My Digital Detox

Hi everyone!

I can’t believe a month has flown by and we are already in June.  You might have noticed things have been quiet here and on my social media because I recently embarked on a digital detox.  It’s always good to occasionally take a break and I wanted to challenge myself to unplug.  While this was no easy feat, I learned a lot about my habits.

The Rules of Digital Detoxing

There is no “right” or “wrong” way to do a digital detox but since I still use my phone to keep in touch with friends and family I came up with rules that were realistic to my lifestyle.

1. NO social media or blogging.
2. Notifications were turned off to avoid temptation.
3. Phone off and away when in the company of other humans.
4. ABSOLUTELY NO phones at dinner and in the bedroom.
5. I gave myself an allowance of time to check texts and emails (ten minutes max).

What I Learned

So how did it go?  Here are some of the things I learned and discovered.

• Watching people look at their phones while walking actually resembles a scene from The Walking Dead.  I’m kidding.  But it became very obvious how much other people use their phones in all aspects of their lives.  This made me feel a little less guilty about my own habits,
• I became more aware of my strengths.  It’s very easy to get in your head and start playing the comparison game when you mindlessly scroll other people’s feeds.  Having time with my own thoughts allowed me to have a new perspective on my experiences.
• I didn’t go over my data allowance which meant I didn’t have to top it up.  I also had battery power left overs and didn’t have to carry a wireless battery charger with me (score!).
• At meals, I not only engaged with my family but I became more aware of my body’s signs of fullness and enjoyed the taste of food (what a concept!).
• My workouts were intense and I challenged myself more to go outside of my comfort zone.  Rest periods that were once devoted to scrolling and texting were now used to stretch and pay attention to how I was feeling.  I didn’t realize how my habits were sabotaging my accomplishments.
• I was able to give people my complete and undivided attention. Not only did I feel more physically and mentally present but I felt less anxious about “getting back” to people right away.
• You don’t have to share everything on the internet! Shocking!  I know it’s hard to conceive but it felt good creating memories and being present for them as they play out.

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So there you have it.  While my first digital detox was a success, it feels so good to be back online. Going forward, I’m going to be more mindful of my habits and set some clear balanced boundaries.

What do you think?  Have you done a digital detox before?  As always, I love hearing from you so feel free to comment below or get in touch.

Looking forward to sharing again soon.

xo

Jen