DIGITAL DETOX

And why it’s going to work this time

There are two digital devices that have become extensions of myself. My laptop and my iPhone. They’re with me when I wake up and they’re with me when I go to bed. Or I should probably say ‘were’, since I have recently started to separate myself from my two devices.

This happened when my daughters discovered the joy of cell phones. The newest thing they do right after I get my daily bear hugs is reach right into my bag to retrieve my phone and then never let it go. And not to mention, one of them recently also called my old director. So I’m thinking it’s best to try and stick to giving them books to read or things to color. So my new game plan? I leave my phone in the car and fetch it as soon as the girls are fast asleep.

My phone and I are no longer attached at the hip, and you know what it made me realize? How much time we spend wasting away with nothingness. Your Instagram feed, your chat groups. They’re fun but does it take root? Of course not. So read along and start detoxing.

1. turn off your chat notifications

That way you wont be tempted to have a quick look. And to respond..

This goes for all notifications by the way. Off. Facebook. Instagram. News apps. Turn it off. Check it all out when you’ve got time.

2. make your bedroom a phone free zone

Recent studies have shown that the first thing people do when they wake up is check their messages (Whatsapp for example). And then their mail. And then Facebook. Leave your phone out of your room and spend time talking to the man or woman you wake up next to instead. Trust me, you’ll wake up in a better mood then if you’d check your messages. Besides, the radiation from your phone isn’t good for you and you’ll have a better nights sleep with that thing as far away from you as possible.

3. hour long phone detachment

We’ve got a box at the office to store our phones in if you don’t want to be disrupted while you’re at work. To be fair, none of us have every used it, which clearly indicates how addicted we are. But hey, it’s the idea that counts. And a great one at that. When you’re having lunch, leave your phone at your desk. Or do as I do, leave it in the car. And when you’re driving, put it in the back seat. That way you won’t be tempted to update your Instagram when you’re stuck in traffic. Or any other dumb thing to do when you’re in the car.

4. tell people

Once people have gotten used to you replying to messages immediately, they’re going to assume you tripped down the stairs or you’ve had some other kind of accident if they don’t hear back from you within an hour. So tell everyone you plan on minimizing your digital life so they can get used to it and who knows, maybe they’ll join you. I could make an endless list of why cell phones are great, but hey, reading a great book every now and then never hurt nobody either.

By the way, I completely forgot to mention how extremely ecstatic I am since my new iPhone 6s and I will finally be reunited today!