Friday, March 20, 2020

10 Best Digital Detox Habits


In the current digital age that we are living in, it’s become important to ensure we have a better relationship with technology & we create a distance between our personal lives and the online world to ensure we are living a better life in future. It’s also imperative that we create boundaries for ourselves from the digital world to ensure it does not affect our mental or physical health in any way.
Today Self Esteem is becoming a growing concern due to the negative effect of social media on us and the FOMO that we face on a daily basis. Instead we should spend our time doing things that really excites us and that will be really helpful in future. I would like to share some of my personal tips that I normally use to ensure I keep my distance from technology as well as social media from time to time.

Reduce Screen Time: In the early 80’s there was a time when brushing your teeth was considered to be the first ritual when you wake up early in the morning. Today, it’s all about checking our mobile devices for those likes, shares and subscribes which overtime affects the start of our day resulting in a less productive day overall. Try to reduce your screen time early morning to ensure less anxiety and a day full of productivity.

Turn Off Notifications: This is my favourite weapon that I use to distance myself from social media and avoid my attention being dragged towards irrelevant things. Turning Off those notifications is a blessing in disguise. You can instead block time during the day to check important apps on your phone for any updates and go on with your day without wasting that additional time of checking your phone when not required.

Take Breaks:
Staring at that screen all the time can not only affect your eyes but also affect your overall health system. Take timely breaks and move away from your chair. Take a walk, or read a book or get into any habit that does not involve staring at any screen during the day. This will help you to remain fresh and also increase the activity required for a human body from time to time.

Tech Free Day: This is my second favourite. There is nothing like putting your phone on airplane mode and getting lost into nature. If in case nature is not very close to you, you can work on your hobbies like cooking or writing or baking etc and find time to up skill yourself on other creative tasks rather than spend that time on your phone. In case you are very addicted to your phone take it slow. There is no rush.

Be Mindful: There are times when we decide to go on a trek or hiking or even on a lunch or dinner date and we would like to document our experiences for such occasions. Do that. There is no harm, but ensure you don’t go overboard and ruin the entire experience. This will not only allow you to be present in the moment but also avoid creating a wrong impression on the other person with you who has come to spend quality time with you.

Adjust / Adapt: Today social media has not only become a medium to share our standard of living with others but is also resulting in unnecessary comparisons with others. This not only leads to low self-esteem and depression but also stops you from moving forward in life and procrastinating about your present.

Protect Your Eyes: When I was in school there were just a handful of students wearing glasses to read and write. Today, it’s a common thing. To some extent it’s now a style statement. We spend a minimum of 8 hours at work staring at our screens & then we enter into the world of social media which takes another 2-3 hours of our day. Meanwhile, we forget about the basic tool that we make use of to do all of these things: OUR EYES. Take care of them. They are the most expensive physical asset you could ever own in your entire life. If you do not believe me, try living in darkness for a day or talk to a blind man and they will share their desires with you.

Family Time: If you are having a healthy relationship with your parents or siblings or spouses, spend time with them. If you are not having a great relationship with them, try spending time to mend them. Gadgets will come and go, hundreds of new apps are created daily and the internet is going nowhere neither is your Netflix subscription, but the time once lost with your family is the time you shall never gain back. Understand what this means as life is short and it's only getting shorter day by day.

Spend Time with Pets: Pets are not just stress busters; they are also a part of your family & your lives. Give them time for they shall give you immense love in return. Pets are like kids. They also need love from time to time just like you. If you have chosen to adopt a pet and give them a new life, honour that choice and make the best of it for them.

Learn Something New:
Life has a million things to teach us and we learn a few every day of our lives. Learning something new is knowledge that will never go waste. Keep yourself open to lessons from life or otherwise and you will go further than you ever planned to go.

I really hope this article helps you to ensure you live a minimalistic digital life and use most of your time for your well being. Always remember no matter what the addiction might be, the first step is always difficult, but the rest of the journey gets easier day by day.

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