What is digital detox and how to do it for better mental health?

The benefits of digital detox are plenty. They can be customized as per our needs. Different people lead different lives and the purpose of one’s digital detox will also differ. But what are the basic steps of doing a digital detox? Here is a quick look at the basics you need to know to do a digital detox:   

1. Turning off push notifications

   Push notifications are the messages that we receive on our mobile devices by companies promoting their products. These messages mostly serve no important purpose to us. But instead these can be cause for constant distraction. This results in loss of focus from any task or activity that we are currently doing.
   
   Moreover, every push notification we get pulls our attention to our phone. The whole purpose of a digital detox is to keep us away from our phone. Thus, even though push notifications might not be interesting to us, they do attract our attention to the phone. This is knowing why to turn these notifications off is the vital part of understanding what is digital detox.

2. Set yourself free

   Having a complete time off from our phones might not always be possible. Our work calls and messages might be frequently communicated via mobile phones. This makes it important to be available with our phones at all times. Urgent emails can not be avoided but email organizer apps like Mailman can help us take care of that. But this doesn’t mean that we miss out on living a life during our work days. 
   
   Some ways of detoxing from technology during our work days could be to set aside phone-free times such as when you have meals with friends or family. Or finding time to meditate or just being in the moment while staying away from your mobile. Work methods like deep work also recommend removing all distractions to focus better on work.

3. Limit yourself

   At one given point, we are subjected to too many distractions. Be it in the form of television or our mobile devices or our computer. These distractions while reducing our time efficiency also subject us to major screen time. The impact of this is seen in the form of tired eyes, lack of sleep and exhaustion. Limiting yourself and your screen time is hence important.
   
   Along with the time we spend on a device, one must also be careful that we don’t saturate our attention. Scrolling through your newsfeed while watching TV or working is one way in which we drown our attention and our eyes. This warrants the need to know what is digital detox.

4. Detoxify your mind

   The purpose of a digital detox is not limited to reducing your screen time due to technology. But this comes with the added benefit of limiting your social media use. Social media has become a part of our everyday lives. With all of its good outcomes, social media does have its share of negative effects.
   
   Studies show that constant use of social media has exposed us to traits of narcissism and has reduced our attention span by many folds. These can result in upheaval in our personal lives and risk losing focus in our professional lives. Practices like cleaning your social media, and unfollowing any accounts that prompt negative thoughts is one simple way. As we better understand what is digital detox, we also understand how it can improve our lives.

5. Neither first nor last

   Exposing ourselves to technology is known to elevate our anxiety levels as we look for instant gratification on our devices. Our emotional levels are at their most vulnerable just as we wake up and right as we go to sleep. Using our devices in these hours is known to disturb our sleep patterns and our mood throughout the day.
   
   Leaving your phone in another room when you sleep can help you digitally detox and increase productivity levels. This also ensures that your phone or any other device is not the last thing you see at night and the first thing you see in the morning.