Digital Detox: Why is it Good for You?

A digital detox refers to a period of time when a person refrains from using gadgets such as smartphones, televisions, computers, tablets, and social media sites. According to various studies, an average user views their smartphone screen at least 150 times every day. Often only by unconditional reflex and not to carry out a real action. Constantly checking notifications on phone and computer significantly lowers our attention threshold. It is estimated that more or less every three minutes a notification interrupts our routine, and we need about a minute to regain the right concentration. We have all been turned into smartphone addicts in one way or another. This can be proven by the fact that we feel uncomfortable when we are away from our devices.

Digital Detox

It is in this context that digital detox was born. It is a kind of food diet, like the one we follow to lose weight or to change our lifestyle. Except that we do not reduce carbohydrates and fats but the use, gradually, of the various electronic devices. Over time it is one of the most effective methods to reduce stress and above all to control addictions to smartphones, apps or social networks.

The advantages of digital detox are many, both physical and mental. The reduction in the use of electronic devices allows us to have a greater conception of the real world, a higher attention span and above all a greater ability in managing interpersonal relationships. From a physical point of view, a less intensive use of screens will make us put less strain on our eyes, avoiding the onset of visual pathologies. It will also improve our posture, considering that the excessive use of smartphones impacts the shoulders and neck.

Establish free zones

After having cut out hours without the use of smartphones, which we must slowly try to increase, the second step to take in digital detox is to establish free zones. That is particular contexts where to avoid the use of smartphones or mobile devices as much as possible. For example during outings with your partner or evenings with friends. But also while we play with our children or visit relatives. Succeeding may seem trivial but if we are addicted to notifications, messages and e-mails at first it will not be easy at all. We can use some small tricks to avoid looking at the smartphone screen. For example, we use a digital clock and when we feel the need to pick up the phone we look at the clock screen.

Can we use digital detox techniques even at work? The answer is yes. Obviously everything is based on organization. To avoid being disturbed by continuous emails, we can only choose times at regular intervals to check the email inbox. While during the rest of the day we silence the service and continue our operations without interruption. In addition, we try to avoid reading emails, answering calls or not disconnecting from electronic devices once working hours are over.

The apps to detox easily

It may seem counterintuitive, but the best ally to detoxify from the excessive use of technological devices is technology itself. There are several applications and browser extensions, in fact, that limit our access to the web or social networks based on the settings chosen by us. If we often use Chrome, one of the best apps to avoid wasting too much time on the Internet is Stayfocusd. This can be downloaded and installed for free from the Chrome Web Store. 

We can set options to focus only on our work. When we start wasting time on the web, the extension warns us and invites us to return to our main goal. It works by setting up a black list of sites and with the maximum time we can dedicate to ourselves. For example, we can choose to have only 10 minutes to read a newspaper site and only 5 minutes to browse the Facebook wall. Once the time has expired, we will not be able to access that site until the next day.

Timewaste Timer

Timewaste Timer uses a safe method to stop our Internet addiction: our money. This is also an extension for Chrome and works in a very similar way to Stayfocusd, but there is the addition of fines. Before starting we will have to choose the sites to be blocked after a certain amount of time and load some money into a deposit. For example, if one day we were to exceed the maximum threshold set for the use of a social network, we will receive a fine. And part of our money will be taken from the deposit.

Write or Die

This is the perfect app for bloggers, for those who write online but also for those who have to write term papers or projects written in high school or university. Before starting to work, we will set up the app with set writing goals to be achieved in a given time. If at the end of time we do not reach the goal because we have wasted time on the Internet, the entire screen will be devoured by disturbing creatures. And in the latest app update, if we reach the goal in time, we will also have rewards. Usually in the form of soothing images and sounds to unwind after long work.

AppDetox- App Blocker for Dig

We spend a lot of time of our day looking at the screen of our smartphone. Often browsing the various social networks without a real final intention but for pure pastime. If we want to detoxify ourselves from this situation, the perfect method is represented by AppDetox. It is a smartphone app to stop smartphone addiction.

The trick of this app is to not include most of the time-wasting apps like social media and messaging applications. The smartphone, however, allows you to use maps, the camera and send and receive simple messages, as well as use the classic telephone functions. Moreover, AppDetox, if set, can block every incoming notification for a certain period of time. In short, it is perfect for establishing the aforementioned free zones. But it also allows you to have, thanks to a timer, alerts when to switch off and disconnect a little from the digital world and from the phone itself.