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A digital detox means reducing the use of social media and digital devices, or taking a break from them, for a certain period.

Digital Detox: Nowadays, most people are active on social media. Furthermore, it has become a habit for people to check their phones immediately upon waking up, browse social media platforms, and check for notifications every few minutes. These habits can gradually lead to issues such as fatigue, mental stress, and sleep deprivation.

In such a scenario, a digital detox—which involves distancing yourself from your smartphone for a while—can be very beneficial. The best part is that you don’t need to stay away from your phone for days on end; simply changing a few habits allows you to digitally detox.

What is a digital detox?

Essentially, a digital detox means cutting back on social media and digital device usage or taking a break from them for a while. The goal isn’t to completely cut yourself off from technology, but rather to use it correctly and sensibly. It is worth noting that this gives the mind a rest and significantly reduces stress.

Decide when to use social media.

If you want to avoid the stress associated with social media, you need to set a schedule. Instead of mindlessly opening social media throughout the day, you should designate a specific time for it—for instance, 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening. This will reduce your screen time and save you time.

Don’t keep your phone in your hand all the time.

It is often observed that most people constantly hold their smartphones in their hands, which causes their attention to drift back to the phone repeatedly. Therefore, while working or studying, keep your phone at a distance or use ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode. This will prevent your attention from constantly wandering.

Limit notifications.

Additionally, notifications popping up every few minutes can be a major distraction. That is why, apart from essential apps, you should turn off notifications for other social media apps. This will reduce the habit of constantly checking your phone and allow you to focus better on your work.

Avoid checking social media immediately after waking up

It is often observed that many people start scrolling through social media the moment they wake up, which can lead to stress. Instead of checking social media first thing in the morning, consider exercising, meditating, reading a book, or spending time with your family. This will improve your mood and help you start your day on a more positive note.

Stay away from screens before bedtime

Experts advise stopping the use of phones or tablets at least 30 to 60 minutes before going to sleep. Browsing social media late at night can disrupt your sleep. For better sleep, try reading a book or listening to music instead of looking at a screen.

Additionally, it is best to unfollow or mute pages and accounts that merely waste your time or expose you to negativity. Keep only the content in your social media feed that is beneficial to you and provides inspiration or valuable information.

Use the ‘Screen Time’ feature

Modern smartphones come with a special feature to help manage screen time. Almost all smartphones today offer features like ‘Screen Time’ or ‘Digital Wellbeing.’ These allow you to track how much time you spend on specific apps and set daily usage limits if necessary.

Take a break from social media one day a week

If quitting social media entirely seems difficult, try staying away from it completely for one day a week or even just a few hours to start with. Even this small habit can help bring you mental peace.

Practicing a ‘digital detox’ periodically helps reduce stress, improves sleep, enhances focus on work and studies, and creates opportunities to spend quality time with family and friends.