What is digital detox and how to know you need it right now

What is digital detox

This is the name of the period when a person, due to fatigue from the continuous flow of information, stops using a smartphone, tablet and computer outside of work. This is a kind of respite, when your free time can be spent on live communication, walking, creativity or meditation, and not on gadgets.

Media asceticism is on a par with the concept of digital detox. It is also called digital abstinence. This is a way of life in which people do not deny the importance of the latest communication tools and Internet technologies, but at the same time they do not hang on the phone every free minute. Media asceticism is the desire to reasonably limit one's time on the Internet.

Social networks, messengers, streaming services are a kind of attractions for the brain. We get so used to virtual entertainment that we become addicted to gadgets, and as a result we get:

• fabing - the habit of being distracted by a smartphone during a live conversation with the interlocutor;
• nomophobia - fear of being left without a mobile phone, that is, forgetting it at home, “dropping” the battery or being out of the network coverage area;
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• screen voyeurism is the habit of spying on private life through the screen of someone else's smartphone in public transport, an office or other crowded place.

Of course, it is no longer possible to completely abandon gadgets in the modern world, but it is quite possible to arrange a small digital diet.

Why digital respite is useful

First, you truly immerse yourself in what you are doing, be it work or family dinner, meeting friends, or exercising at the gym. If you don't get distracted by your smartphone every time it makes a sound, you can enjoy things and events here and now.

Secondly, you start to find interesting things outside the Internet. Try to take your eyes off the screen - and you will notice how the trees turn green day after day, how different people are in the subway. In addition, colleagues may find themselves discussing interesting topics at lunch.

Thirdly, you have a little more free time. Instead of flipping through your Instagram feed before bed, start reading a paper book. During work break, do warm-up and eye exercises. On transport or at breakfast, putting your phone aside, think about your plans for the day or people you haven't seen for a long time.

Fourth, you become calmer when your smartphone does not ring, beep or vibrate every minute. Either notifications, or spam, or news, or a friend liked another friend - in many situations this is annoying and distracting.

How to understand when it's time for a digital diet

Hanging on the Internet can be compared to eating. As long as you cook delicious varied meals and eat in moderation, there is no problem. But with the advent of excess weight, shortness of breath and health problems, you will probably think about diet and sports. A similar situation is developing with the consumption of digital information. According to VTsIOM, 77% of Internet users in Russia admittedLife on the Internet and without itthat periodically they need a break from the Internet, and 44% of the respondents said that they deliberately turned off their Internet access for a day or more.

A simple checklist will help you figure out if digital detox is right for you. The more statements from the list describe your Lifestyle, the stronger your dependence on modern technology and the more rest you need.

1. Moving around the apartment, you carry your smartphone with you.
2. It often happens that you turn on your TV or YouTube, open Facebook on your laptop or tablet, and at the same moment flip through the Instagram photo from your phone.
3. After reviewing the news on social networks, you update the feed and immediately go to the second round.
4. From photos of fashionable bows in a ribbon, you want to throw out your clothes and buy new ones.
5. After the next publication of a photo or story on social networks, you check the number of views and likes every minute.
6. You always respond to messages instantly, so you expect other people to respond to yours just as quickly and get annoyed if you have to wait.
7. You feel anxiety, close to panic, if you suddenly do not find your phone nearby.
8. The first thing you see after waking up and the last thing before going to bed is your smartphone screen.
9. Stress, lack of sleep, fatigue, problems with multitasking have become your constant companions.
10. You do not read the news completely, thoughtfully and to the end. You are only interested in headings instead of content.

How to organize a digital detox

Only one strong-willed statement in the spirit of "I'm tired of the phone, I'm taking a break" very few people led to success. Try to understand and realize what you are missing while sticking aimlessly on the screen. For example, an hour spent at home on social media can be spent on a bike ride or walking the dog. Dating appuseful, of course, but a party with friends can be more effective for finding a soul mate. Think about what you really want to do in your free time.

If it is impossible to completely and completely abandon gadgets, take one-day breaks. For example, plan Saturday and devote it to pleasant activities not related to the Internet, calls and instant messengers. Alternatively, you can practice fasting hours every day.

Before you go offline for a long time for the first time, warn your family, friends and even colleagues about this. You don't want them to call police departments and hospitals in an attempt to find you.

Reconsider your phone settings: turn off unnecessary notifications, clean up your friends lists on social networks, so as not to be distracted by another photo of your mother's school friend's sister's cat. A smart watch or a multifunctional fitness bracelet will be a good helper. With them, you will stop grabbing your smartphone with every call, but do not miss a really important message.

When planning your next vacation, give preference to digital detox tours. Their popularity is now growing almost at a cosmic speed. The program of such trips includes yoga, meditation, viewing natural beauty and philosophical lectures. Sometimes tourists are asked to deposit their smartphones in exchange for a guide to survival without gadgets. Isn't this a challenge for a modern person?