“By chronically raising levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, our phones may be threatening our health and shortening our lives.” - New York Times
Importance
Time away from our devices is crucial.
While they can be powerful and useful tools, taking a break every now and then is a great practice to have.
The main issue with technology is the distraction it brings to our lives.
There are many issues with constantly being distracted:
Circadian rhythm disruption and sleep disturbance
This is why it is crucial to take regular breaks from technology and to ensure we are not in a constant state of distraction.
Implementation
There are a few ways to do a digital detox. I’ll cover the 3 main categories.
Vitamin solitude — daily
This is the short, easy version of a digital detox.
Cal Newport talks about ‘vitamin solitude’ in his book, Digital Minimalism. This involves having at least 10 minutes each day and one full hour each week where you are alone.
This means not just having no one with you, but no phone, no music, no audiobooks, nothing to read. Just you and your own mind.
Action Step
Find a time and place where you can have at least 10 minutes of uninterrupted alone time. Maybe in the morning as part of a morning routine, or when going for a daily walk, or a solitary lunch break.
Full day
This is a full 24 hours without technology.
Action Steps
Decide what “technology” includes here. Maybe no phone, but you can still watch TV. Maybe you don’t use any technology at all - no smartwatch, no TV, no laptop, no phone, no Kindle. I like to avoid my phone, laptop, and the TV, but still use my smartwatch (with notifications disabled). Decide what you’d like to avoid for this day.
Pick your 24 hour period. I like to start in the evening, so about 7pm. Then I can look at my phone again at 7pm the following evening and have a bit of time before bed to reply to any messages. Do whatever time period works best for you.
Extended detox
This is similar to Bill Gates’ ‘Think Week’.
These are incredibly powerful detoxes, but less practical. Having more than 24 hours away from technology will take a lot more planning for most people.
Action Steps
Ideally, an extended fast should be completely away from your normal daily environment. Try to get out in nature. Go camping or stay in a cabin. Get away from the city and into nature. And don’t bring any technology (except maybe a switched-off phone for safety reasons).
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