Imagine a very everyday scenario –
You are working on your laptop. Your phone buzzes. You look. It could be a message, an FB post, an Instagram alert or a tweet. You instantly leave whatever you are doing and look at it. After all, how can a second of distraction effect. All you have to do is look.
Can you resist? Just for a minute? Does it make you uneasy? As if some important information shall pass you by? Are you able to concentrate? Invariably, you give in.
That is digital dependency.
Some Facts –
• About 70 million Americans regularly listen to podcasts and end up spending five hours a week on them.
• Recently, YouTube reported that people watched them for a billion hours each day.
• More than 800 million people use Instagram, for more than 30 minutes a day on average.
Time to move away. Give it some break. Move away from the addiction. This, in simple terminology, is DIGITAL DETOX.
There is no doubt that today’s generation is a slave of technology. Digital fascination has taken over each and every one. Our entire waking up hours are devoted to some or the other gadget. Mobile phones, iPad’s, computers, phones – there is no dearth of the extent to which we are technically consumed.
Screen time is a phenomenon which governs us in totality. We wake up to them, we come home to them and we carry them in our pockets all day. Hence it is no surprise that experts and researchers are now highlighting the negative effects of this addiction. Constant exposure harms our health – there is no doubt about this.
After the other types of detox’s that lure us, digital detox is the latest to get added to the list.
A detox which each one of us should practice for a healthy future. Here are some ways to self-discipline and break the barrier that ‘life without technology is not possible’. It has to be made possible.
List down all your gadgets –
Before starting the process, make a list of all the possible gadgets that you are dependent on. After this, make a list of all the things that you otherwise enjoy doing, out of the gadget zone.
Sometimes, realisation is far more important to the end result than anything else. Cutting down on technology usage can help you regain precious hours to pursue things that make you happy.
Cut back digital dependency –
Turn off the notifications button for all your social media apps. Seeing less alerts means less eyeing of the phone. This will help you control the urge to keep going back to your gadget. Keep the phone on silent mode when busy with something more fruitful. Don’t let the lure get the better of you. The next step could also be deleting certain apps which you feel may not be required on a daily basis.
Time yourself –
Set a specific time of the day to check certain apps/sites. Limit yourself. Do not go beyond that time. Choosing when you give in to gadgets is also a big quality. Don’t let the gadget control you. The catch here is – when starting, set realistic timelines.
Make an exciting day wise calendar –
Pep yourself up with doable tasks. Start with 15 minutes for refraining. Move the time span up gradually.
When you are able to achieve this, mark days when a certain app/social media site will be refrained from. Make it a fun activity rather than a burden. So, Facebook free Friday, or a Tuesday without Twitter. Come up with your ideas. Not only does it help but makes it exciting too.
ALSO READ: Decoding tech buzzwords that dominate our everyday lives
Inform your environment –
Being connected is the norm of the day. Not only is it a necessity but almost mandated. So, when you decide to digitally detox, inform the people in your framework much in advance. Give them alternative methods to reach you in case of urgency. Define urgency too. Write down for yourself what are the parameters that can really affect you. Don’t let every small event become an emergency. You shall get sucked into the rigour soon.
Let the world support you.
Resist the temptation –
Much like when you are on a food diet, try and resist the temptation to pick up the gadget. It shall seem impossible in the beginning, but constant talking and motivating yourself will help.
A detox friend helps –
Find a buddy who can be with you in this journey. Team effort always helps. Motivate each other to continue the good habit. Discuss your progress, encourage each other to keep going and spend time together to talk. This keeps you rooted to your cause.
Digital dependency is a menace that we are all guilty of. Let’s find ways to handle it before it starts effecting our health profusely.
As the world moves forward at rocket speed, digital dependency is fast becoming a hazard. Time to take up small alternatives and embrace practical solutions to avoid long term harm.
Small steps make a larger impact than one big step!