Why Everyone Is Suddenly Obsessed with ‘Digital Detox’

In a world where screen time has skyrocketed to seven hours daily and the most interesting part of our day is a new TikTok dance, detaching from the digital world has become more important than ever. So, what actually is a digital detox and why is it important?

A digital detox is an intentional commitment to reduce or limit the use of devices such as smartphones, computers or tablets.

Technology has many benefits such as enabling us to communicate across the globe, work remotely and ending up in a black hole of doom scrolling. I’m sure we can all relate to having a ‘5 minute study break’ which turns into five more minutes then suddenly it is dark outside and none of our work is done.

Why are We Addicted to Scrolling?

As technology becomes more integrated into society, habitual scrolling is becoming increasingly prevalent. To understand how to successfully detox from the digital world, first we need to understand how we become addicted.

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Social media platforms are engineered through algorithms to create our FYP that traps us in a cycle of scrolling. Algorithms work by tracking our social media usage to replay videos that you spend the most time looking at or the videos react to.

By constantly being fed content we enjoy, our brains release dopamine (which is secreted when we experience pleasure). Therefore, it is easy to become addicted to our phones as we start to crave this source of dopamine. Social media has essentially compromised our brains by disrupting when dopamine is released. Why would our brains not be attracted to coloured flashing lights and short form, easy to digest content or the ability to communicate with others?

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Effects of Addiction to our Phones

This addiction to the dopamine rush we experience from devices can have harmful side effects: anxiety, depression, eye strain and sleep disturbance just to name a few. Instead of social media connecting us to others, we can often feel more loneliness than ever.

According to SQ magazine, Gen Z users spend an average of 4 hours per day on social media platforms. 4 hours is exactly a sixth of a day; imagine the vast number of activities you could try or people you could meet in these four hours.

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Digital Detox Tips

If you would like to escape the infinite cycle of scrolling and become more present in your life, then consider trying these digital detox tips.

1. Commit to a time frame — For a certain time, it could be a week or six months, try to stick to your goals. Often when you know how long you have to do something for, you are more likely to build better habitats that you soon forget you are even doing.
2. Set clear, attainable goals — If you set an ambitious goal, it becomes easier to fail as relapse into your old habits. Therefore, write down defined objectives and commit to them.
3. Find a new hobby — It is imperative to fill your time with an activity that you enjoy. If you are just sitting around, the temptation to scroll increases.
4. Manual restriction of apps — Setting screen limits can aid you in tracking how long you have spent on your phone. This can be a gentle reminder to go outside or do your homework.

Conclusion

Technology being used in daily life is only going to increase and therefore our attention spans and human connections not fueled by a dopamine rush is only going to decrease, unless we build habits that free us from the cycle of doom scrolling. So, when you have some time, instead of immediately reaching for your phone, step outside and enjoy the sunshine or try a new hobby.