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A WEEK OFFLINE

Bye bye smartphone, wifi and tv


We have written about a digital detox, but honestly, have you managed to take a break from your smartphone or laptop or all the other forms of screens that have practically become an extension of your own arm? Nope, me neither. To the great disappointment of, among others, my mother, because every time I think of coming over for a nice visit, I find myself at the kitchen table looking at my phone because I want to know how many likes a photo of me has received and who is secretly peeking at my Insta Stories (I see you all: not following, but watching everything).

Do you want to know how bad it currently is with us? Don't be shocked:

  • 50% of people are addicted to their smartphone. That's one in two guys, one in two.
  • On average, we spend 8 hours and 33 minutes a day on social media. I kid you not. Let that sink in. That's practically a full workday.
  • We check our phones 221 times a day. I calculated it for you, and that's about 9 times an hour if you don't sleep for a whole day. Read: too often.

What I (and many of you probably too) need is a good kick in the butt towards a ‘digital rehab’. And guess what? IKEA is just the one to help us with that. You might not have seen that coming, but IKEA operates with a ‘Attention makes everything more beautiful’ mindset. We should be more aware of the impact of social media and the use of screens (whether it's your phone, your television, or your computer) on our direct social interaction with others. ‘And how does IKEA do that?’ you might be thinking now. Well, through a social experiment in collaboration with Lifehunters TV where a family is not allowed to use screens, wifi, or smartphones for seven days, twenty-four hours a day. What do you think? Could you do it?

It's time for old-fashioned games, having good conversations with each other, and normal social interaction again. Isn't that much more fun with the holidays approaching? You don't have to throw away your smartphone, just reduce your usage. Really, paying attention to all the other things around you becomes genuinely much more beautiful. Shall we all promise to participate in the digital rehab together? I’m down.