5 Reasons to do a digital detox

My iPhone. It’s the little thing I love and hate in equal parts. I love that it keeps track of my life (and everyone else’s life in my family) via the calendar. I hate that I’m obsessed with ‘checking’ it all day. I love that I can text and communicate with friends and family. I hate that it pulls me away from my kids. I love that I have the world at my fingertips (news and recipes included!), but I hate that there is more ‘noise’ entering my brain than ever before in my life. The lists of technology’s pros and cons run neck and neck, but there is one big con that makes me stop and think: the distraction factor is major.

Some days I realize I’ve looked at my phone more than I’ve looked into my kids’ eyes and that terrifies me.

At the end of June we went camping for five days and four nights, and we were without cell phone reception for the entire time. And it was glorious. There was an old-fashioned land line, should the need arise. I locked up my phone in the car, and went on my merry way without it, for the better part of a week. Breaking the habit of constantly having my phone by my side was wonderful. There was nothing to check. Nothing to feel like I was missing out. Nothing to feel like I needed to buy.

That temporary separation caused me to notice a few major benefits of fasting from my digital life, and I thought I’d share in case you need a break like I did. (And still do.)

5 REASONS TO DO A DIGITAL DETOX

1  //  To remember how you used to fill your time (in the margins) before a cell phone.

If you’re anywhere near my age (35) you remember life clearly before cell phones. I like to think of those as the ‘good ol’ days’ now. When we stood in line at the pharmacy, or waited at a bus top, or for our takeout, we looked around. We observed things (life!) happening around us. We made eye contact with strangers, small talk with other parents. We had mental white space. Now, I tend to fill those margins by consuming more and more content. Probably not the best option if I’m seeking a peaceful mental state and want to be more mindful in general.

2 //  To stop being so influenced by everything you consume online. Yes, I’m talking about bloggers too.

Being off social media and my phone for a handful of days allowed me to stop wanting what others have, whether it’s a house, a lifestyle or a pair of pants. And then, in the absence of those things, it allowed me to reacquaint myself with my own preferences and tastes. Further, the desire for ‘more’ often comes from external influences. If those influences are quieted, that internal drive for more is a lot quieter too. Overall it was just really nice to be the author of everything in my own head, instead of reading everyone else’s two cents, and more.

3  //  To break the carry-your-phone-everywhere habit.

I am the worst about this. I always have my phone with me ‘just in case.’ The only problem is, proximity leads to checking. And checking leads to browsing, and on and on. I’m currently reading Courtney Carver’s Soulful Simplicity, and she pushes her readers to finish the sentence when they defend their stance with ‘just in case.’ Usually because the ‘just in case’ reasons aren’t as strong as you think. For me, if I have my phone with me all the time, just in case, it’s because I think someone might need to reach me. Or I might want to take a picture. But, if someone needs to reach me, they can call again 20 minutes later. And if I need to take a picture, I can hunt down my camera. Or, even better, I can take a mental snapshot and savor the moment.

4  //  To re-learn how to be in the moment.

Ever go somewhere really fun like a concert or bar and notice loads of people are looking at their phone? We are so addicted that sometimes we place digital life ahead of real life. I am totally guilty of this. And it alarms me. This is not the kind of life I want to live. It’s great to document things, it’s a gift actually. But so is experiencing things.

5  //  To cut the attachment to your desire for social media dopamine hits all day long.

Plain and simple, my phone is a legit chemical addiction. There have been enough studies that show checking our phone or receiving notifications activates the pleasure centers in our brain. I can literally feel it when I’m on my phone. The best way to change habits is to change behaviors. Taking a break from our phones is a great way to start.

I read something on Instagram (ironic!) the other day that stuck with me. (Thanks to Sara for bringing this to my attention.) Erin Loechner, whose opinion I highly regard and respect, talked about her own capacity for inbound ‘noise’ and information. In a nutshell, she says after she quit Facebook several years ago, she noticed a ‘returned threshold for opinions/voices/noise.’ She suggests that we have a ‘finite energy for people and interactions’ and using Facebook was taking up valuable real estate in her mind. If this is true, and our mental capacity for opinions, voices and noise is limited, perhaps we should carefully consider what we give those precious resources to.