Digital detox : why and how to get started ?

What is digital detoxification ?

Digital detoxification, more often called digital detox, corresponds to a period of partial or total abstention from any digital tool.

Its aim is to help those who undertake it rediscover the simple pleasures of everyday life through objects, nature, and the people around them, with the goal of returning to the essence of life. This leads the individual back to their roots in search of personal well-being.

Why do a digital detox ?

Digital detox allows individuals to disconnect from a virtual world filled with artificial constructs. Indeed, everyone is free to post (or not) on social media, which often leads people to showcase only the positive, and sometimes enviable, aspects of their lives. As a result, it can become a form of competition, a race for likes, comments, and followers, creating ongoing anxiety that affects self-esteem and self-confidence due to constant comparison. Social media can therefore have a negative impact on individuals’ well-being.

The effects of digital detox

Digital detox therefore helps reduce the negative aspects we perceive through the web, while also reminding us of the well-being found in the simplicity of our surroundings. For example, rather than posting a photo of one’s meal on social media in anticipation of likes, why not simply enjoy the meal with friends? Moreover, this digital disconnection strengthens focus on what we are doing, allowing for greater enjoyment of the present moment and potentially better performance when it comes to work-related activities.

The effects of digital detoxification will be all the more effective and positive if the detox period is conducted over the long term.

Type of detoxification

Several types of detoxification exist, which allows everyone to choose the one that suits them best and gives them the best balance.

Total immersion

The individual chooses to go into exile from digital platforms for a period ranging from three days to three weeks. The longer one abstains, the more difficult it is, but the more guaranteed the results.

Periodic detox

The break with digital tools is discontinuous but regular. In other words, the individual decides on a period of the day during which he disconnects from any social network, and this every day.

Selective detox

Rather than withdrawing from all media, the individual chooses to be selective. In this way, they can decide to eliminate the social networks that are most harmful to them without completely disengaging from all digital platforms.

Detox as a destination

During your vacation, connecting to multimedia is no longer on the agenda. No more posting your travel photos, from now on your holidays are for you and not for others.

The fasting of content

By far the most radical approach involves cutting oneself off from everything happening in the world by removing access to digital resources as well as print media such as newspapers, books, and magazines.

Top 15 tips for a successful digital detox

Before starting a digital detox, it is important to know and be aware of one’s own limits. There is no point in setting unattainable goals, as this risks losing all motivation and giving up quickly. Now that this has been clarified, here are 15 tips for successfully carrying out a digital detox.

1. Take stock. Conduct a self-analysis to find out how much digital technology is negatively impacting your life.
2. Set rules for yourself and stick to them. That’s why it’s important to get to know each other and set achievable goals.
3. Have a progressive alarm clock. Using your smartphone as an alarm clock is often too aggressive due to the brightness of the phone. A traditional alarm clock will be enough to wake you up.
4. Don’t hesitate to ask for help. If your own willpower is not enough, you can always ask a close person to support you: for example, they can remind you each time you break your own rules. If necessary, you can also ask this same person to use the internet on your behalf when it is truly needed.
5. Focus on doing only one thing at a time. There is no need to open multiple programs, as you will not be able to use them all simultaneously anyway. Moreover, working with only one window open at a time helps improve your concentration.
6. Turn off all your alerts. Try muting your smartphone or simply switching it off. Likewise, do not hesitate to disable notification sounds altogether.
7. Keep only the essentials. Think for a moment if your applications are really useful, if you really need them. And delete them accordingly.
8. Set yourself breaks. Regularly move away from everything digital, disconnect from digital to better reconnect with the meaning of life.
9. Designate Wi-Fi-free zones in your home. In this way, you and the people you live with can establish specific moments during which you fully dedicate yourselves to one another and enjoy quality time together.
10. Make digital tools a moment of sharing. If you are on YouTube or looking at photos, share these pages with your family to open communication.
11. Prioritize physical encounters. Rather than calling, sending an email or even a message, why not meet and talk face to face?
12. Ask yourself “why ?”. Questioning this need to be hyper-connected will help you solve the problem more easily at the base.
13. Track your screen time. For some, this may come as a wake-up call. Comparing the time spent in front of a screen with the actual usefulness of that time will likely make you question your level of digital use. Make your screen time more productive and use the “saved” time to disconnect. There are applications that can automatically calculate this ratio for you.
14. Go on a “digital detox”. This is a stay during which you are disconnected from any social network, in order to reconnect with your body and mind.
15. Go back to old habits. Remember how you did it before the digital age.

In conclusion, don’t forget to go back to basics from time to time while enjoying the little pleasures of life. And above all, don’t become a slave to your digital tools.