Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash
In short: A digital detox is a period in which you deliberately put your screens away and give your attention to what’s in front of you. It can be an hour a day or a whole weekend. Most people sleep better, feel calmer and have more time for the people and things they love. Start small, plan what you’ll do with the time, and keep the parts that suit you.
You wake up to the sound of your phone buzzing. Before you’re out of bed you’ve checked your email, looked at the news and scrolled through social media. During the day the notifications keep coming, and in the evening you sit down for a moment with your phone and look up to find an hour has gone. Your mind is racing, and you can’t shake the feeling of being connected all the time. Sound familiar?
If so, you know what technology overload feels like. It’s very easy to get caught up in endless digital distractions, and it’s possible to step out of them.
What is a digital detox?
A digital detox is a period of time during which you intentionally disconnect from technology and focus on the present moment. It can be anything from putting your phone down for a few hours each day to a real break from technology for a week or more. There’s no official version. What makes it a detox is that you choose it, and that you notice what happens when the screen is off.
Why do you need a break from your screens?
Technology has many benefits, and it also asks a lot of us. Long hours at a screen can leave you with tired eyes and headaches. Screens late in the evening keep your brain awake when it should be winding down, so you fall asleep later and sleep less deeply. And being reachable all the time, always comparing, always catching up, feeds worry and low mood in many people.
Your relationships feel it too. Have you ever sat at a table with friends or family where everyone was looking at a phone? You’re together and yet each of you is somewhere else. It’s lonely, and it takes something away from the time you have with each other.
What changes when you switch off?
For a start, you’re likely to sleep better and have more energy. You’ll have more time, often much more than you expected, for the people you love and the activities that bring you joy. You get back a sense of being in charge of your own day, and the background hum of stress and anxiety quietens down.
The biggest benefit is the chance to reconnect with yourself and the world around you. When you’re constantly interrupted, it’s easy to lose touch with your own thoughts and feelings. Without the screen you slow down, you notice things again, and with that come clarity and a sense of inner peace. It’s very close to what I describe in my questions and answers on mindfulness.
“The greatest gift you can give yourself is a little bit of your own attention.”
Anthony J. D’Angelo
Time outdoors does the opposite of time on a screen: it calms you and lifts your mood. So a walk without your phone is one of the simplest detoxes there is.
How do you start a digital detox?
The first steps can feel daunting. A little preparation makes all the difference.
1. Set a goal you can reach
Decide what you want, and be specific. An hour away from screens every day? No phone after dinner? A whole weekend offline? Choose something achievable. A clear goal keeps you motivated, and a small one that you keep will teach you more than a big one you abandon on day two.
2. Make a plan
Think about when your screen-free time will be, and what you’ll do with it. An empty moment is exactly when your hand reaches for the phone, so have something ready: a book, a walk, a recipe you’ve wanted to try, a call to a friend. Create tech-free zones at home or at work. The dining table and the bedroom are the two places where it helps most.
3. Remember why you’re doing it
Take a moment each day to notice how it’s going. Are you sleeping better? Are you calmer? Did you have a real conversation at dinner? Seeing the benefits is what keeps you going.
What if you find it hard?
You probably will, at least at first. You may feel restless, a little lost with your free time, or catch yourself picking up the phone without having decided to. That’s normal. These habits are strong.
When it happens, step back and remember why you started. Think about what you’ve already gained. Then make it easier for yourself: put the phone in another room, turn off notifications, charge it outside the bedroom. And tell the people around you what you’re doing. Friends and family who support you, or who join in, make it much easier to keep going.
Try this: a gentle screen-free rhythm
In the morning: leave your phone alone until you’re up, dressed and have had breakfast. A calm morning routine sets the tone for the whole day.
At meals: phones off the table, for everyone.
During the day: one walk without your phone, even a short one.
In the evening: screens off well before bed. Read, stretch, take a bath. You’ll find more ideas in how to wind down for better sleep and in my article about sleep.
Once a week: a longer stretch offline. A Sunday morning is a good place to begin.
How do you keep the benefits afterwards?
At the end of your detox, you may be surprised at how much has changed. You sleep better, you have more energy, you’re more in tune with your thoughts and emotions, and your relationships feel closer. That mental space is precious, and I write more about protecting it in how to boost your mental energy.
You don’t have to give up technology for good. The idea is to keep the parts of your detox that did you good and make them part of your daily life: no screens before bed, tech-free zones at home, a regular hour offline. They can become your non-negotiables, the few things you protect whatever the week brings.
Take time to do what makes your soul happy
A digital detox gives you back time and attention. What you do with them is the best part. Read the book that’s been waiting. Cook slowly. Walk. Sit with someone you love and really listen. You’ll feel more in charge of your own life, less stressed and closer to the people who matter to you.
So, what are you waiting for? Put the phone down for an hour today, and see what you notice.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a digital detox last?
As long as you can manage and repeat. An hour a day away from screens, a phone-free evening or a screen-free Sunday morning all count. A regular small break does more for you than one heroic week you never repeat.
Do I have to give up my phone completely?
No. Your phone is useful, and the aim is to decide when you use it, so it stops deciding for you. Keep what serves you, such as calls, maps and messages from people you love, and cut back on what you pick up out of habit.
What can I do instead of scrolling?
Decide in advance, because an empty moment is when the hand reaches for the phone. Keep a book on the sofa, go for a walk, cook something, call a friend, do a puzzle, potter in the garden or simply sit with a cup of tea and look out of the window.
I need my phone for work. How can I still switch off?
Set an end to your working day and turn off work notifications after it. Keep work apps off your home screen, take your lunch break without a screen, and leave the phone outside the bedroom at night. Tell colleagues when you are reachable, so nobody is left waiting.
When should I talk to my doctor?
If you sleep badly for weeks, feel anxious or low most of the time, or find you cannot cut back on your screen use although it is harming your work, your relationships or your mood, please talk to your doctor. These things deserve proper support, and less screen time alone may not be enough.
Would you like some help?
Looking after your energy, your sleep and your daily rhythm goes hand in hand with what you eat, and it’s all part of my group programmes in nutrition and health, such as Six Tuesdays in Montignac. If you’d like to know when the next group opens, write to me at hello@catherinepolet.coach.
Would you rather work one to one? I also coach online. Book a free 20-minute call, and we’ll look at your days together and find where a little more quiet would do you the most good.
About Catherine
I’m Catherine Polet, a holistic nutrition health coach, yoga and autogenic training teacher for more than 30 years, author and speaker. I help people find a way of eating and living that suits their own body, online in English, French, Spanish and German, and in person in Southwest France.
