DIGITAL DETOX
Is your Phone controlling you?
Did you know that there are over 2.55 million apps available and in just 60 seconds there are approximately
- 347,222 scrolling Instagram
- 2.1 million snaps created
- 4.5 million videos viewed on YouTube
- 41.6 million messages sent on whats app and messenger
- 4.8 million gifs sent
While social media and the internet can be a great way to connect and find out information it can also be a place where there is a lot of abuse. It can also affect our mental health and wellbeing in a negative way if we let it.
Signs when a digital detox is needed. Do you have at least one of the following?
- When you are constantly looking at your phone checking for messages.
- Unable to sleep without looking on your phone.
- Increased stress levels.
- Noticing you are feeling depressed, moody or more angry.
- Comparing yourself a lot to friends or celebrities etc.
- Fear of missing out FOMO, that if you are not on social media you are missing out on what is going on.
- Unable to focus on something without checking on your phone.
Okay, if yes, why not try a digital detox? “Whhhhattt!” You say. A digital detox doesn’t have to be massive and it can be fun. Why not try some of these…
- Turning off message and notification alerts
- Practice not responding immediately to every message or notification
- Turn your phone off at least 1 hour before you go to bed
- Leave at least 1 hour in the morning before you look at or turn on your phone
- Set yourself a task to do and complete this before having screen time
- Send a card or letter to someone you know
- Write an article or a story
- Note the app that you use the most and try to reduce the amount of time you go to it in a day
Okay, one last thing...
Do you know everyone you have in your contacts and social media accounts? We might have forgotten about the friend request or person we have accepted 6 months or a year ago. Just because we have accepted a request or added someone to our contacts it doesn’t mean they have to stay there.
As friends and people come and go in our life offline, which makes space for more healthy relationships, it’s the same online.
Going through your contact and social media accounts and deleting people you don’t know or don’t speak to can make space for more healthy friendships and relationships with people that you do want to speak and be with.
