Learn some helpful tips for how to perform a smartphone or social media detox!
Smartphones – so helpful, but so addictive! Now that they’re ubiquitous, we have access to a whole host of apps designed to make our lives easier, more productive, and more fun! Yet…do you find yourself wishing to be just a bit less…”attached” to your device? Do you realize that you’ve spent hours on your phone, scrolling through social media? Do you grab your phone every time you have a free minute – when waiting in line, stopped at a red traffic light, or waiting for a friend? Remember the days prior to smartphones, when we didn’t have this at our fingertips?
Well, I decided to embark on a Smartphone Detox – LITE. Here’s how I did it, what I learned, and tips for how you can do it too!
Why I Wished for a Detox
Many of us have gotten in the habit of reaching for our phone any time we have even a few minutes free. We feel “FOMO,” or “Fear Of Missing Out.” In today’s era, where news among the globe, country, our local community, and in our friends’ (or enemies’) lives is instantly spread, we feel left behind if we don’t check constantly. We’re curious to see all the random things posted by our friends and celebrities on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and the like. After repeatedly checking, it becomes a habit, harder to control. The phone pulls at you, relentlessly.
We’re afraid to just look around and observe. We think we have to “look busy,” especially in public settings. But while burying our head in our phones, we become less aware of our surroundings, which can be a safety issue.
We also lose so much time just scrolling. You pick up the phone just for a few minutes and end up getting sucked in. Or you begin to pick up the phone first thing when you get up in the morning. Or you check for an hour in the evening. This adds up – before you know it, you’ve spent a few hours each day scrolling!
Mindless scrolling also has been linked to increased anxiety and depression. There’s even a name for endlessly scrolling through negative information on social media or the news: “doomscrolling.” Needless to say, this isn’t the best thing for us to be doing.
Detox or Detox – Lite?
Some folks may challenge themselves to go cold turkey from their smartphone, switching to a flip phone instead. Others challenge themselves to take a break from social media for a certain period of time. I wasn’t sure these two options would be the best fit for me: several apps I use are indeed quite useful for my productivity, plus I need to post The Joyful Dabbler updates on social media to bring in visitors. The idea of minimizing time on my smartphone appealed to me, however, as well as a social media detox of sorts. I wanted to become conscious of the constant “pull” and minimize its impact. So I decided to do, not a smartphone detox, but a detox – Lite!
How to Start?
It can be extremely difficult to change a habit that’s been formed over the years. Here’s how I eased myself into my new plan: I “accidentally” started it!
As a semi-religious Jewish person, I observe weekly Shabbat – a day-long restful break from the duties/stresses of the week. Over time, my observation has evolved to include partial limits on phone/TV/social media access each Saturday. One recent Shabbat, I decided to refrain much more from checking my phone. By the end of the day, I realized, “Hey, that wasn’t so bad. I think I can keep on doing this.” So at that time, I decided to just continue limiting my phone and social media usage, for a week.
The Requirements
- Treat my smartphone like a corded phone. As an 80’s-90’s kid, I grew up with a corded phone; it was attached to the wall in one spot. Desiring to imitate that, I started keeping my phone on my bedroom dresser when I was at home, rather than taking it with me into other rooms.
- Use the computer instead of the phone for certain tasks. I decided to use my computer for the majority of tasks that I’d normally been accustomed to doing on my phone. This included things like checking email, checking social media of any kind, and Web browsing.
- Disable app notifications on the phone. I also disabled notifications on my phone for all apps except messaging and phone calls (the ways that people would actually try to get hold of me). So those little badge icons above each app showing new Facebook notifications? Gone! Instagram? Gone! NextDoor? Gone! Email? Gone!
Did the Detox Work?
How did I do once Shabbat was over and the demands of daily life and work reared their head? Well, I found that, after minimizing my usage over the course of one day, it was certainly easier to continue. One of the hardest things to do is just to start.
Requirement #1: Treat Smartphone like Corded Phone
Keeping the phone in one spot in my house really did serve to loosen its grip. When the phone is staring at you from its place next to you, it can be all too tempting to pick it up just for a second. But when it’s in another room completely, conscious decision-making and effort are required: you need to decide, is it actually worth getting the phone? Will I accomplish anything by doing so? If the answer is no (as it likely is), then you’re more motivated to keep doing whatever you’re doing instead.
Requirement #2: Check certain items on computer only
My requirement to only check email on the computer was certainly a helpful one. It was much easier to limit the number of times I checked email daily. Before, I’d be checking email constantly, on impulse, just like with social media; I was always on the alert to see “what’s new.” Hungry for additional stimuli, unable to calmly enjoy a free minute, trying to find ways to procrastinate things I didn’t want to do. But when I set 1-2 times to check my email at my computer daily, I found it more freeing. I’d always been compelled to check and to respond to any new messages quickly. I released myself from this invisible tether once I changed my habit.
Checking social media from the computer instead of the phone also served to lengthen the “cord.” I found myself going to social media sites mainly to check notifications, scrolling for maybe a minute, if that, and then leaving. I don’t find myself missing it. I went several days without even checking Instagram, quite by accident. When I did log into NextDoor to take “just a quick look,” I was immediately reminded of the things I *don’t* like: negative posts and negative comments, that didn’t add anything to my day. Life with Facebook and Instagram is kind of similar, in that it’s not really necessary to look at what’s going on: it doesn’t really add anything to my life, and if I miss updates, it doesn’t matter, in all honesty.
I did end up using my phone for some things in addition to messaging and calls. I still called upon Siri for weather updates, as well as my daily planner app. I’d utilize a few select informational apps, specifically Notes, my Out of Milk grocery list app, and my Water Llama water tracker. But I didn’t use any apps that didn’t have a specific productive purpose. (I don’t play games on my phone normally, so no issue there.)
Requirement #3: Disable phone notifications
It is honestly so much less stressful not having those little badge notifications pop up above each app. The only way I’m bothered with anything is if I consciously decide to open an app. I’ve found that, if I impulsively pick up my phone just to see what’s going on in the world, I’m not instantly bombarded with all those little badges, feeding the desire to check. Instead…no stimuli to grab my attention! So, it’s easier to put the phone back down without doing anything.
An Unexpected Benefit to a Smartphone Detox
I also found that my ability to concentrate on single-tasking rather than multi-tasking increased. Often when we multi-task, we’re not paying enough attention to any single task, to be able to do it well. Many times, when I’m cooking or listening to a webinar, my impulse has been to pick up the phone and scroll, or listen to a video or podcast, or do something, anything, in addition to what I’m doing. I always want to do something else at the same time, to occupy that little corner of my mind that’s not finding itself useful.
However, as part of this “detox,” it was inevitable that I should not have the phone in the kitchen or by my computer. I therefore was forced to pay attention to a single task. As a result, I found myself much more focused on the task at hand! This was a new sensation for me, but a welcome one.
Worth It? Smartphone Detox – Lite!
I’ve found that my priorities have changed. I no longer want to be tethered to my phone, to social media, or email. I no longer feel as attached to it. I’m more willing to stop and enjoy the free moments I have, rather than trying to endlessly fill them with scrolling. Sometimes it’s just that first push that’s necessary to jolt us out of our self-imposed fog, look up, and observe life.
If you’ve been thinking about trying out a smartphone detox or a detox – Lite!, go for it! Start off with just one day, of not checking the phone or social media. Once you’ve gone one day, it’s so much easier to continue! Sometimes all you need is a little push to get moving!
Check out these related articles:
Cover Image Photo Credit: IStockPhoto.com/gorodenkoff
