How a digital detox can bring a healthy balance to your life

What Is a Digital Detox?

A digital detox is a set period of time during which you intentionally cut back on screen time or avoid it altogether.

Some things to avoid during a digital detox may include:

• Scrolling or posting on social media
• Checking email
• Playing video games
• Sending text messages
• Watching TV or streaming services
• Shopping online
• Multitasking with devices
• Opening apps
• Taking online workout classes

Many people opt to begin a digital detox after noticing they are spending a lot of time online rather than being mindful or present in their daily lives. Others might believe a heavy online presence is causing negative mental effects, such as comparing your life to others in a negative way.

The beauty of a digital detox is that everyone can set their own rules. Even if you can’t completely unplug, you can still use a digital detox to practice mindful technology use, like limiting your social media use to 15 minutes per day or putting your phone in another room at bedtime. The key is to find a balance that allows you to reclaim your time and mental space while still meeting your daily responsibilities.

How Long Does a Digital Detox Take?

A digital detox can take anywhere from a day to several months depending on your personal goals and circumstances.

For example, if your goal is to avoid mindless social media scrolling, you might only need a two-week digital detox where you avoid touching your phone in the morning and set strict limits on how long you spend on those apps. But if you want to end all non-essential screen time for good, you might need a much longer digital detox to gradually break up with your devices and find other ways to communicate with others and access information.

The point of a digital detox is that it’s customized and personalized to fit you and your needs in a way that promotes harmony and balance in your life.

Benefits of a Digital Detox

Unplugging for a period of time can feel like a breath of fresh air if you’ve been spending too much time on your devices. Here are some of the ways a digital detox can benefit your life.

Improving mental clarity and focus

A digital detox can be a helpful tool for counteracting the harmful effect of screen time on your ability to focus. It’s not your imagination that your devices make it difficult to pay attention. Research shows that people’s attention spans for their screens went from 2.5 minutes in 2003 to just 47 seconds as of 2023. With perpetual interruptions of notifications, we’re constantly switching from task to task, making it impossible to slip into a flow state for focus. 

Taking a break from screens helps reset your attention span, allowing your brain to rest and recharge. By stepping away, you’re giving yourself a chance to regain control over your focus and find more clarity, making it easier to stay present and engaged in your most important tasks.

Enhancing relationships and social connections

If you feel lonely and isolated, even while connecting with others through social media, a digital detox can help. You’ll be encouraged to reconnect with loved ones through quality time in real life. Rather than leaving a brief comment on a friend’s Facebook post, you can pick up the phone for a deeper conversation that leaves you both more fulfilled. You’ll also have more time to spend with your friends and family doing truly meaningful activities, like going out for a great meal, taking a hike in nature, or sharing a quiet afternoon together without distractions.

Building self-confidence

Don’t be surprised if you feel a boost of self-esteem after taking a digital detox. Social media can feel like a comparison game, where we’re constantly seeing how our lives stack up against those who show up in our feeds. Research shows that a two-week break from social media can lead to more confidence and greater life satisfaction. 

Helping you sleep better

Screens emit a type of light called “blue light” that affects our circadian rhythm, signaling to the body that it’s daytime and time to be alert, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Taking a digital detox can help you cut back on screen time at night, which can help you get better sleep.

What Is an Example of a Digital Detox Plan?

Here’s an example of a seven-day digital detox plan you can try:

• Day 1: Set intentions and boundaries. Write down a few reasons why you want to unplug. Then, figure out which apps and devices you’ll set limitations on and when you’ll be online (if at all).
• Days 2-3: Cut back on social media. Avoid opening social media apps more than once or twice per day and limit how much time you spend on them to 15 minutes or less per session.
• Days 4-5: Establish a “tech-free zone” in your home, such as your bedroom. Remove all screens and devices from that room and use that space for offline activities, like reading or journaling.
• Day 6: Unplug for a full-day digital fast. Spend your time connecting with friends or family in real life and pursuing your favorite hobbies.
• Day 7: Reflect on how your digital detox went. Notice how you felt and whether you’ve found more balance. Create a plan for mindful technology use going forward, such as banning phones from the dinner table or time limits for social media use. 

How Do I Start a Digital Detox?

One of the best and most effective ways to start a digital detox is to evaluate and identify your patterns and routines of digital use.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to understand your digital dependence:

• What digital tools and apps do you use most frequently?
• Which devices and apps take up most of your time?
• How do you feel before, during, and after scrolling social media?
• If you weren’t looking at screens, how would you be spending your time?
• Which digital tools aren’t essential to your everyday life?

Next, set measurable, attainable goals for reducing your usage that are not drastic. It’s not likely that you will sustain a change in digital use that is going from 6 hours to 6 minutes in one day. Instead, figure out a gradual way to taper down your use of social media and devices. You might set a limit to reduce your time on your devices by one hour per day for a week, then cut back an additional hour the following week, and so forth to promote digital wellness in your life.

The ultimate goal of a detox is to find a balance between engagement that feels sustainable and nourishing.

Practical Tips for a Successful Digital Detox

Going offline isn’t always easy, especially when screens are such a big part of daily life. Here are some tips to make a digital detox more successful. 

Setting boundaries with technology

Creating clear boundaries with your devices helps you take control over screen time rather than letting it control you. While the nature of your job might mean you can’t ignore your inbox for an entire week, you could decide that you’ll avoid checking work e-mails outside of business hours during your digital detox. You might also decide to check social media apps once per day, then hide them in a folder on your phone so you’re not tempted to open them again.

Creating tech-free zones

Designating specific areas in your home as tech-free zones can help you unplug and stay present. Whether it’s the dining table or the bedroom, keeping devices out of these spaces during your digital detox can help you relax and stick to your goals around mindful technology use.

Engaging in offline activities

With less time spent on your devices, you’ll have a lot more hours in the day to fill with other things to do. Make a list of meaningful offline activities you want to pursue during your digital detox, such as walks in nature, coffee dates with friends, doing puzzles, trying new recipes, or visiting a museum.

Recommended apps for digital balance

It seems ironic to recommend tech tools for a digital detox, but certain apps may actually help with screen time management and disconnecting. Here are a few to try:

• Forest: In this app, you can plant a virtual tree and set a timer for a period of focused time. The tree dies if you switch to a different app. But if you keep the app open and focus on an offline activity, it will grow and flourish.
• Cold Turkey: This desktop app allows you to block specific websites, games, and apps.
• One Sec: If you want to practice mindful technology use, try One Sec. This app makes you pause for a moment of mindfulness every time you try to open social media to help you avoid getting sucked in. 

What Are the Negatives of Digital Detox?

As helpful as a digital detox can be for setting boundaries with technology and finding balance in your life, there are some potential downsides to be aware of. Completely disconnecting could cut you off from important aspects of your life.

You may want to be cautious when it comes to removing access to digital media that would hinder them in any way, such as responsibilities through a job or civic organization. 

You may also feel a little isolated from friends if you take a break from social media and don’t find other ways to connect with them. Consider leaving one digital forum of social connection unchanged to remain connected.

The good news is that you don’t need to transition to a tech-free lifestyle to change your habits. Simply reducing how much you use apps and devices that aren’t serving you—without breaking up with them altogether—can be enough of a digital detox to help you find balance and practice self-care. 

Is a Digital Detox Worth It?

If you find yourself asking if a digital detox is right for you, then the answer is probably yes.

Taking time to unplug and reevaluate the role of screens and social media in your daily life can help you achieve balance and greater mental well-being in the long term. 

The goal of digital detox isn’t to completely cut you off from technology. The fact is, the internet, social media, and our devices can be incredible tools for connection and information. A digital detox gives you the chance to develop strategies for mindful technology use and create boundaries so that your devices enhance, rather than disrupt, your well-being.