Spending time looking at screens has become the norm in our daily lives. From checking work emails late at night to social media updates, too much digital usage is bad for our health. It’s time for a digital detox.
This article looks at the risks that come with too much digital usage and what we can do to reduce it – both as individuals and as employers.
If you’ve noticed your screen time creeping up and you want to do something about it – this article is here to help.
The time we spend online
Apps like Instagram and TikTok have algorithms designed to keep us scrolling. Make no mistake, they don’t want us to leave, and it seems to be working. The average time a person spends online each day is 6 hours with almost 2 hours being just social media. Statistics have also found that around 40% of people in the UK use TikTok every day and 60% use Instagram. Just from work alone the average person will spend over 220,000 hours looking at screens throughout their career.
So why not regain some of your free time away from screens and do a digital detox?
Why do it?
Because our gradual addiction to our devices and their content is having some unpleasant side effects. It can lead to burnout, stress, FOMO (the fear of missing out), anxiety or struggling to sleep. Work, online shopping and the ‘celebrity lifestyles’ we so often see through social media mean we are increasingly reaching for our phones. It’s not a healthy habit.
Doing a detox is a way to set limits in your life surrounding technology. The important part is to do it in a way that doesn’t leave you feeling isolated from what’s happening in your online world.
What research has found
A study found that 70% of participants checked social media on their phones while in bed, with 15% spending an hour or more on social media. The results found that using social media when you are in bed at night increases the likelihood of anxiety, insomnia, and shorter sleep duration. Another study published in the journal Child Development also found that heavy daily use of technology was linked with an increased risk of mental health problems among younger people. More time spent using technology was also linked to increased symptoms of ADHD.
The benefits of a digital detox
We are not suggesting a complete break, but a gradual reduction will bring some worthwhile benefits. Try to reclaim some time for yourself away from using tech devices and you may discover:
Reduced stress and anxiety: Whether it be checking for work emails late at night or constantly flicking through different social media platforms, taking time away from tech can reduce your stress and anxiety immensely.
You can get better sleep: The bright light of your electronic screens is keeping your brain awake instead of letting it produce melatonin making it harder for you to fall asleep, leaving you endlessly scrolling for hours.
You have more time for self-care: Whether that be taking a nap, reading a book, taking a bath or baking there are many offline things you can do that enhance your mental health.
Your work and productivity will improve: All of the above contributes to a more refreshed and focused state of mind, more able to find the energy and resilience to cope with stress and workload. And, in many cases we are more innovative and creative as a result.
How can you do a digital detox?
There are many different ways to doing a detox but just keeping these simple tips in mind will help you structure your own personal detox:
Pick a time frame: Make sure you’ve got a specific time frame in mind. Start off with something easier such as half a day and then work your way up to longer time periods. But make sure to commit to the time frame you decide.
Have clear goals: Pick which social media you won’t be using or type of screen like a TV, phone, or kindle, or you could even decide to do a full blackout with no technology at all.
Remove distractions on your phone: Give yourself less reasons to look at your phone. This can be simply by turning off your push notifications coming from game apps you use in your spare time to the news or social media notifications. Leave those WhatsApp groups you didn’t really want to join!
Let people know: If you have decided to stop using technology completely, make sure your friends and family understand what impacts this could have on communication etc.
Find a hobby: Having less technology and media in your everyday life frees up time. You could commit to learning a new hobby with your new-found free time or go back to a past hobby that you wish you were still doing or had the time to do.
Enjoy your freedom: Detoxing is meant to help rejuvenate the mind and body. Start to re-evaluate your relationship with technology and spend more time with family and friends.
Digital detoxing at work: How employers can help
If employers want to see better rested, more focused and productive employees, more able to think with clarity and creativity, they need to help their people achieve this. Here are some suggestions:
Lead by example: Your leaders set the culture of your organisation and it’s often an example that others follow. So, by NOT sending emails out of hours, by being seen to talk about the benefits of tech free time, they’ll be influencing healthier behaviours.
Set and respect boundaries: Implement policies regarding after-hours communication, like designated response times or “out-of-office” messages. Respect their downtime and discourage responses.
Promote tech free time: Schedule dedicated “tech-free” breaks throughout the day for team activities like walking meetings, stretching, or social gatherings. Organise events that focus on in-person interaction, like team lunches or outdoor activities. Get away from the desk more often.
Support flexible work arrangements: You’ll be enabling your people to manage their own time and potentially help them create their own ‘unplugged’ periods.
Educate on digital wellbeing: Share this article, promote the benefits of a digital detox, explore the apps available that monitor screen time.
Conclusion
Our digital habits risk becoming addictive unless we take action. And employers can play their part in this, and benefit from healthier and more focused and productive employees. Everyone wins, yet it can seem daunting. But a digital detox doesn’t have to be stressful, it can be done in a manageable and easy way to help reduce stress in our lives whilst simply helping have more free time to spend how we wish. The benefits in terms of reconnecting with others, improved sleep and better mental health can be transformational and long-lasting.
Get our guide
We have produced a new Cordell Health guide on Digital Detox. This is available to subscribers to our wellbeing service. If you are not signed up to this service and would like to find out more, please contact us on wellbeing@cordellhealth.co.uk
Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash.
