Give yourself a digital detox this Christmas

Have you tried a Christmas digital detox? The Christmas period is the perfect time to detox from digital devices – even if you’ve never tried to before! After all, what’s better than giving your family the gift of your undivided attention this Christmas?

It can be hard to know how to make a Christmas digital detox stick, so here’s our top tips on how to make it work;

Log off for the festive period

Log off on Christmas Eve, turn off your phone and put your it in a drawer. Don’t take it out until the day after Boxing Day. You don’t need to check your work emails anyway! If you’re really worried about being contactable during your Christmas digital detox leave a voicemail on your phone telling people to ring your home phone – that way they can still contact you if there’s an emergency.

It can be tempting to spend the Christmas period endlessly scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, so by placing your phone in a drawer, you’ll remove that temptation too. Why not go the old fashioned route of playing a board game if you’re bored? All that social media is making you depressed anyway.

Use an alarm clock

This is one of the key steps to a good digital detox – using a good old-fashioned alarm clock. It’s so important that we included it in our Christmas Digital Detox Gift Guide this year. By using an alarm clock, you’re avoiding that mindless scrolling that we all do first thing in the morning. Plus, there isn’t the temptation to take your phone out of the aforementioned drawer.

Reconnect with nature

Sadly it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting any snow this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a lovely winter’s walk. Commit to a walk with the whole family, but no phones or iPods. Christmas is naturally a stressful time for all of us, but nature has been proven time and time again to relieve the burden of stress – as well as relieve other ailments we may have.

Dig out your camera

Christmas can mean lots of happy snaps while the family is all together round the table. But don’t be tempted to get your phone out. Instead, dig out your retro camera and use that for all your pictures. We’re big fans of the Instamax 90 – check out our Instagram to see some of the pictures we took on our last retreat.

Get the whole family involved

Digital detoxing as a family has many benefits, from teaching your children good habits, to making them feel that they are more important than your phone is. If you’re all avoiding digital devices, it’s more likely to stick – as you won’t be tempted.

Instead, take the time to engage in other non-digital activities, such as card games, yoga or even colouring books (they’re not just for kids any more!) These flow activities are proven to take your mind off of things – distracting you from not having your phone to hand.

Remember that Christmas time is family time – disconnect from your devices and reconnect with your loved ones on a Christmas digital detox!