Spring has arrived. With the warm weather, you might feel a flood of relief. The cold air is gone, and the sun is back. Things are looking a little brighter with each passing day!
It’s the perfect time to ditch the screens and go bask in the sunshine. After a long and dark winter, your physical and mental health both need it. At this stage in the game, you might even want to consider doing a digital detox. What does this mean? And how can you do one? Let’s find out!
What Does ‘Digital Detox’ Mean?
A digital detox refers to a set duration where you forego screens and technology. This offers up the opportunity to de-stress and truly live in the moment — minus any distractions or absent-minded glances at your phone.
While technology has granted us immense possibilities and flexibility, it has also drastically taken up much of our attention span. And in place of human interactions, we’ve started talking to each other through this web portal. This isn’t necessarily bad. In fact, for many people, the opportunities far outweigh the negatives.
However, too much of anything is usually a bad thing. For instance, eating pizza at every meal will likely leave you with cravings and various nutrient deficits. All in all, the body and mind tend to both thrive with moderation. And this proves true with the digital world.
A digital detox can give your mental health a break. It can help you quit comparing yourself to others. It can grant you the time to really connect with others, face-to-face. And it can also help lower your stress levels. So, how can you digitally detox?
How You Can Digitally Detox This Spring
Let’s start this spring completely anew. Here’s your step-by-step guide to detox from the digital world:
Step 1: Set a Time
If you have to be on your laptop or phone for work, you’ll have to be more selective about the time you choose to detox from your digital devices. For instance, it might be best to do your digital detox on the weekend when you won’t be stressing about not being online.
Basically, it’s all about finding a time that works for you and your life. And it doesn’t have to be long! You could do a couple of hours or a whole afternoon — whatever works!
Alternatively, you may want to incorporate a digital detox into your daily life, such as for the first half-hour you wake up each morning or during the hour or two before bed.
Step 2: Remove Distractions
Put that phone away! Better yet, leave it at home. Close your laptop. Turn off the T.V.
Set yourself up for success by eliminating any opportunities you would have to accidentally turn to technology. For many of us, technology is a habit. Thus, if you’re really committed to a digital detox, you’ll want to limit and remove these distractions.
Step 3: Immerse Yourself in Other Activities
What you do here is also entirely up to you.
Some examples include:
- Connecting with your friends and loved ones.
- Playing a board game.
- Hiking.
- Playing sports.
- Reading.
- Journalling.
- Meditating.
- Cooking.
- Riding a bike.
- Taking a bath.
- Workout.
- Forest bathing.
The list goes on! Pick and choose activities you enjoy. Focus on connecting with others. You’ll never know how good a digital detox can feel until you try it.
Step 4: Make It A Regular Thing
If this digital detox felt good, consider making this a regular occurrence. We all need a break from time to time. And reconnecting with yourself, others, and nature is so important for overall health and wellness. Plug it into your calendar and turn off those devices — and simply, enjoy being.
Spend Less Time Online & More Time in Nature
If you’re feeling in a funk or feeling a little blue, disconnecting from technology might be exactly what you need. At the very least, it’s worth a shot for your mental and physical well-being.
Like the Happego App, nature helps prime your mind, supporting healthy thought patterns and habits. Give a digital detox a try this spring and discover how good you can feel.