The feeling of being constantly “on” and productive has driven people to reconsider their balance in the saturated digital world.
Life in the digital world can be rewarding. It’s convenient to order groceries for pickup, share photographs or music, and keep in touch with family and friends, no matter the distance. However, it can also be draining.
More than 70% of American adults are concerned about how technology affects their mental health and personal relationships. This worry is reinforced through media that point to people’s unhealthy habits with social media and phones.
What to do? There is a fuzzy line between healthy and unhealthy digital consumption. Some people feel the need to fully disconnect from the digital world to understand this boundary, and the idea of digital detoxing is gaining popularity. This practice involves intentionally unplugging from digital technologies in the pursuit of balance and digital wellbeing.
But is this enough? It’s no surprise that 62% of Americans confess to feeling addicted to their devices and the internet. Despite people’s best efforts to unplug and strike a balance, research indicates that digital detoxes often fall short.
Further, digital wellbeing is subjective. We decided to look at technology, consumer behaviour and the digital detox journey (where people take a much-needed break from digital consumption), to determine what was supporting or sabotaging those seeking digital wellbeing.
Our findings highlighted four key strategies to achieve a more health digital balance: replacement practices, social bonds, mindfulness, and digital well-being as a journey.
1. Finding Replacement Practices
We found that feelings of withdrawal during a digital detox are quite common. For many, reaching for their phones and scrolling has become such a ritual that they often don’t realise they are doing it.
Many turn to their devices when bored or stressed, much like an adult pacifier. As a result, finding an alternative to distract your mind and occupy your hands can be crucial during a digital detox.
These replacement practices often involve hobbies or activities that result in play. As adults, people sometimes forget what it feels like to have fun.
By separating fun from your task list and engaging in play for its own sake, you can significantly reduce stress levels and boost your digital wellbeing.
2. Shoring Up Social Bonds
Humans are inherently social creatures. Indeed, tools such as email, text messages, and social media offer ways to enhance social connections.
This innate desire for connection, however, combined with people’s reliance on technology, can lead to feelings of FOMO (fear of missing out) and anxiety during a digital detox.
The average adult now spends 70% less time with friends than they did two decades ago.
Digital devices offer connection, but pieces of the experience are missing, such as the joy of in-person contact and trust in others that can be difficult to get online.
So while we’re a more connected society, relationships suffer and people are more lonely than ever.
Therefore, during a digital detox it is vital to fill your cup with community, whether through existing friendships or by creating new ones.
We recommend engaging in a digital detox alongside others, because FOMO may rear its ugly head if your friend pulls out their phone during a night out.
3. Emphasising Mindfulness
In today’s fast-paced environment, finding a moment to pause can feel nearly impossible.
Many experience solitude deprivation, meaning people often don’t have moments to be alone with their own thoughts.
Yet the ability to just be, can allow time for reflection, and help you consider what makes you happy and healthy.
Finding moments where you can step away – to be still and silent – can provide a much-needed recharge.
With adults spending about 90% of their time indoors, breaking the routine and heading outside can offer a more holistic perspective on both personal and global wellbeing.
In our study, yoga and meditation were common ways that digital detoxers found moments to become more aware of their own thoughts, which helped foster more intentional behaviour.
4. Viewing Digital Wellbeing As An Ongoing Journey
Ultimately, digital wellbeing is a journey. It is not a checklist that once completed means you are fulfilled.
Unfortunately, a single detox isn’t enough to cure digital imbalance.
Instead, a successful digital detox often leaves people feeling introspective and curious.
Our research participants also shared that relapses are common, especially if they don’t set and monitor ongoing goals. Importantly, your needs change and evolve over time. In other words, what works now might not be what you need in the future.
Willpower just isn’t enough.
We recommend identifying specific goals for yourself related to your own digital wellbeing.
These aren’t productivity goals but goals to be unproductive.
The aim is to unplug in more fulfilling ways. Whether planning a weekly game night with friends or taking a 10-minute walk without your phone, making time to unplug is worth it in the long run.
Researchers still have more to learn to help support digital wellness. We should remember though, that individual differences play a crucial role in this equation, meaning that the journey to achieving digital harmony is uniquely personal. As people navigate their tech-saturated lives, it’s clear that finding the right balance is a complex, highly individualised process.
The digital detox journey can be challenging, but many people discover it to be rewarding in the end. Recognising your limits and finding ways to reconnect with yourself and others during a detox can significantly enhance your sense of humanity and digital wellbeing.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
SOURCE: Greater Good Science Center
