Digitale Detox

Happy when the traffic light turns red because then you can see how many new likes your Instagram post has received? And did you really find it quite difficult when your fingertips were wrapped in aluminum foil to let your gel polish soak off and you couldn't touch screen? And do you always have an extra battery with you for your mobile? Then according to iPhone Anonymous, you have landed quite firmly in the danger zone of addiction. By the way, you're in good company because I'm also part of the club. But shall we try to cut back together this weekend?

1. Start with a small step

Immediately going a day without your phone could bring serious withdrawal symptoms. Let's start with an hour. Go shopping (that's good for mental distraction) and leave your mobile at home.

2. Inform your audience

People are used to you being glued to your screen. If you don't respond within two minutes, they'll think you're angry. Or dead. Or something in between. Therefore, make an out of office message stating that you're a bit hard to reach and therefore can't respond quickly. I advise against honestly writing that you're doing a digital detox. Then everyone will have an opinion about it, and before you know it, you're emailing even more to explain why you want to do less.

3. Also WhatsApp is forbidden

Now you can be grateful for the blue ticks because people can see that you haven't read a message yet and therefore probably haven't responded. Also, with WhatsApp, I advise mentioning in your status that you have limited access to your phone. This probably discourages people from bombarding you with messages, which means the damage from your detox isn't too bad and encourages you to do it again. Many captains of industry have one DD-day per week.

4. Read a book

I notice that evenings go by without me really doing or reading or listening to anything. The TV is mumbling in the background, my laptop is buzzing on my lap, and meanwhile, my fingers jump from Instagram to Facebook to Twitter to the Google Analytics app (where I see the visitors of Amayzine.com per second) to Pinterest. Put the phone down and do something that you'll benefit from later. Immerse yourself. You'll be proud of yourself.

5. Carefully return

After the detox, it's important not to fall back into your old behavior. When driving, put your bag with your mobile in the trunk, set it so that you're iPhone-free from half past nine in the evening. If you put your device in airplane mode you have less harmful rays and supposedly (I've only heard this) you sleep much better.

Shall we then? And 1, 2, 3, away with that thing. Just for a moment.