The digital detox helps to calm stress and connect us with the reality that surrounds us.
Last update: July 16, 2020
We always live connected to something, be it the smartphone, the computer or a tablet. The digital world has become a fundamental part of our daily routine. The cell phone, in fact, is the first object we use when we wake up and the last one we put away when it's time to sleep. Do we realize how much time we spend immersed in this digital universe? If we were really aware of it, we would try to avoid it by adopting solutions such as spiritual retreats or a real digital detox.
What would happen if we stopped spending so much time on social networks? Probably some people would be horrified and nervous at the very thought; but until a few years ago they didn't even exist.
Obviously there is no need to be drastic and repudiate any kind of contact with the digital world, but we should be more responsible than the use we make of it, we should use it in moderation and avoid that they "appropriate" our life.
It is about freeing ourselves from this growing need to always be connected and thus avoiding dependence on technology. To do this, we could start with a digital detox, a disconnection from technology to connect with reality, that is, with ourselves and with others. But let's see it in more detail.
Detoxing on the technological level can enhance our well-being
What is a digital detox?
A digital detox, or digital detox, is about taking a break from the digital world. It is about disconnecting from social networks, from the internet and from all new technologies in general, to break this digital bond that we have created and which occupies an increasing part of our time. Rather, to deal with more important issues, take care of interpersonal relationships, question ourselves about our physical and emotional state or complete the long list of things to do that is getting longer and longer.
The word detox is obviously a loan from English, but its meaning is nothing more than "detox". It is about expelling everything that is toxic in an organism, in this case the digital world. Since, although in some moments it proves very useful, and at times even funny, its use also has negative implications.
It is not a question of definitively closing our relationship with the digital world, but simply of become more aware of the use we make of it, the time we waste and what we lose to stay connected.
Tips for a digital detox
Detoxing from the digital world may seem easy, but that's not quite the case. We are now too used to the internet as part of our daily life. For this you need a lot of perseverance and determination to be able to separate from it. The following tips will surely help you. Here's what you need to do:
- Establishing the right time for digital detox. You have to decide on a time for detoxification. Obviously the right time will vary from person to person. It could be the weekend, but also a certain time slot each day. The important thing is to start, even if it is just a few minutes. In this way we will be able to create a habit.
- Go one step at a time. Haste is never good. No detoxification can happen overnight. It is important to build the ladder that will lead us to our well-being with patience and step by step.
- Get to know yourself better. Getting to know each other, asking ourselves about our interests and our feelings will help us better understand our need to always be connected. What are we avoiding? What do we need? What relationship do we have with loneliness? The important thing is to be aware that we could live very well even without the digital world.
- Hello Hello notifications! Very often notifications turn into an ordeal. One after another they keep us from concentrating and sometimes even manage to interrupt the conversations we are having with others. Always having notifications and ringtones turned on can create anxiety and increase our need to stay connected.
- Look for something else to do. Whether it's having a coffee with a friend, reading a good book or playing a sport, it doesn't matter. Making plans and activities that we enjoy to occupy our free time is always a good idea.
- Be more empathetic. Putting ourselves in the shoes of others is essential. If when we are together with our friends or family we spend all the time with our eyes fixed on the cell phone, computer or tablet, we are showing him a total lack of respect.
On the other hand, a good idea could also be that of avoid taking your cell phone with us when we go to sleep. In this way we could avoid being “infected” by the emotions deriving from our recent experience in the digital world and the quality of our sleep would certainly improve.
Nevertheless, some people don't need a simple break from the digital world, they need real professional help. This stems from the fact that sometimes the addiction is so strong that it becomes impossible to disconnect.
Benefits of digital detox
There are numerous benefits related to the realization of a digital detox, below is a list of the most important:
- Stress release
- More time for yourself
- Better time management
- Increased empathy
- More time to socialize with others by creating quality bonds
- More authentic relationships
- More free time
- Tendency to be calmer and more relaxed
- Greater self-awareness
Digital detox fosters a better connection with the world around you, with others and with yourself. It gives us the ability to do something different and better prioritize ourselves, instead of wasting time looking at images or videos. A digital detox is an opportunity to connect with reality and maximize our free time.
Disconnecting to reconnect is a wonderful way to realize what we are missing every day.
