{"id":165267,"date":"2020-12-28T14:28:44","date_gmt":"2020-12-28T14:28:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/digital-detox\/"},"modified":"2025-09-23T12:26:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T11:26:15","slug":"digital-detox","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-ie\/digital-detox\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Detox: What Going Offline Can Do For You"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Digital devices are awesome. They\u2019re entertaining and educational, they make us smarter and more productive, and they\u2019re even a source of livelihood for many. But somehow, they\u2019ve taken full control of our lives and we can’t seem to last the day without them. So, if you\u2019re wondering how you can possibly take your life back, read this post. Today, you\u2019ll learn why doing a digital detox is fast becoming a necessity for most of us!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What’s a digital detox?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Think of a digital detox as a device-free period or a \u201cgadget diet\u201d. It\u2019s when you take a breather from your devices and reconnect with yourself and the offline world. Why? Because there\u2019s more to life than your television, laptop, tablet, and smartphone combined! And before you start breaking out in a cold sweat (oh no! no internet! no social media!<\/em>), this is just a temporary thing. Well, unless you choose to make it permanent, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who needs it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who finds it difficult to \u201cswitch off\u201d and maintain proper work-life balance can benefit from a detox. There\u2019s a growing \u201calways on\u201d work culture thanks to the proliferation of laptops and smartphones. Even outside office hours, people continue to check messages and notifications from work, which can lead to mental exhaustion and interference with personal life (1). But it\u2019s not just working adults who can use a digital break from time to time, even our kids need it, too!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Who<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

6 benefits of doing a digital detox<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A digital detox isn\u2019t mandatory, but it\u2019s a welcome respite for your mental, emotional, and physical health. Allow your eyes, mind, and body to decompress and recalibrate. Here\u2019s what you get from going offline every once in a while:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Give your eyes a break<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How many hours a day do you spend in front of a screen? 6? 8? 12? More? A study published in the BMJ Open Ophthalmology journal estimates that more than 50% of computer users suffer from digital eye strain. It\u2019s linked to binocular vision stress and dry eyes, a condition where the eyes don\u2019t produce enough tears (2). By going on a detox (the longer period, the better), you\u2019re giving your eyes time to rest and recover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) Be more mindful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not easy to be mindful when you\u2019re constantly bombarded with text messages, emails, social media notifications, and anxiety-inducing news reports. But by going on a digital sabbatical, you learn to be more aware of your thoughts and emotions. With fewer distractions, you can reconnect with yourself, your family and friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) Improve relationships<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever found yourself in this situation? You\u2019re sitting with a group of people (maybe family, friends, coworkers) but there\u2019s not a lot of talking going on. Instead, everyone is glued to their phones, even though there\u2019s a warm human being within arm\u2019s reach! By doing a digital detox, you learn to put technology to the side so you can enjoy quality time with the people around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Spend<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4) Sleep better<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having trouble sleeping? A meta-analysis published last year (more than 35,000 total participants spread out in 23 studies) showed that Internet addiction led to sleep problems, including a significant reduction in number of hours slept (3). If you want to get better quality sleep at night, try doing a digital detox.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5) Improve productivity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Digital devices are kind of a double-edged sword. With the right tools and apps, you can get a lot of work done in a short amount of time. However, there are also a lot of distractions, which can cause your productivity to take a deep dive. So, if you think your productivity is tanking, do a quick detox to clear your head, so you can focus on what really matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6) Reduce anxiety and improve mental health <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The web is amazing, but if you\u2019re not careful, you can quickly get lost in a rabbit hole of doom and gloom. Think of all the bad news you see, all the crimes and natural disasters. Or how about the glamorous things you see on your social media feed that makes you feel inadequate? By going offline, you can spare yourself the anxiety. Get a mental breather, so to speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Detoxing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How often should you detox?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know all the wonderful benefits of digital detoxing, how often should you do it? Well, there\u2019s no right or wrong answer here. You can do it as often or as seldom as you like<\/strong>. You can even do mini digital detoxes every day if you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if your work involves computers, you can go \u201coffline\u201d during your lunch break. You can turn your phone notifications off, so you don\u2019t get tempted to take a peek. Take a walk and enjoy the scenery. Talk to people. Write your thoughts in your journal. Do something that does not involve looking at a screen!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to do a digital detox?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many different ways to do a digital detox, but the main thing is to stay away from ALL of your favorite digital devices<\/strong>. These include your computers, tablets, smartphones, not-so-smart phones, e-readers, even your TV. As long as you\u2019re \u201cunplugged\u201d and \u201cdisconnected\u201d<\/strong> from the digital\/online world, you\u2019re detoxing. Follow these tips for a successful digital detox program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Plan it out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard to do any kind of detox without a plan. You know firsthand just how addicting digital devices are, so winging it just won\u2019t cut it. You\u2019ll likely feel very anxious because of FOMO (fear of missing out). That said, here\u2019s what you can include in your digital detox plan:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n