07 Feb Valentine’s Day Digital Detox Challenge #LogOffForLove
As Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, we’ve turned our attention to the state of modern day romance. Technology has given many a helping hand in finding love through dating sites and apps like Match.com and Tinder. Since its conception, Tinder has recorded 25 million users and over 9 billion matches! It would appear that there really are plenty of fish in the sea.
Yet, while many praise technology for expanding the dating pool, the flip side is that smartphones are actually detrimental to our relationships. After carefully searching for ‘the one’, surely we should be more wary of how our technology habits impact our relationships? ‘Phubbing’, the phenomenon of phone snubbing or ignoring someone when on your phone, is proving to be particularly damaging to our romantic relationships. 70% of recipients in a US survey stated that ‘phubbing’ damaged their ability to interact with their partners. And 17% of UK adults say they feel as if they are ignored on a daily basis by a loved one because they are preoccupied with their device!
So, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we’re challenging you to #LogOffForLove and give your other half the present of your presence. We’re sharing some simple ways that you can take on a digital detox this Valentine’s and beyond.
Enjoy tech-free mealtimes
There are many reasons why all mealtimes should be tech-free, but Valentine’s Day is a good place to start! One of the most important digital detox steps you can take this Valentine’s is to leave your phone in a separate room or in your bag when you eat. Take inspiration from some of London’s most elite locations, including The Savoy, who is introducing a phone ban on Valentine’s evening in their restaurant. It’s quite a statement that restaurants themselves are encouraging us to focus on our dates, who deserve our full attention. There’s nothing worse than pouring your heart out to someone who’s head down, engrossed in their phone!
Make your bedroom a phone-free space
Evidence continues to pile up suggesting that smartphone are destroying intimacy in our relationships. A study has shown that individuals with partners who are overly dependent on their mobile device are more likely to be unsatisfied in their relationship. We feel almost jealous of the attention given to our partner’s phone. If 80% of people admit that they check their phone first thing in the morning, this surely leaves less time for intimacy and spending quality alone time with your partner? Follow Arianna Huffington’s famous words of wisdom and leave your phone outside your bedroom and invest in an old-fashioned alarm clock.
Make your phone less attractive
Are you heading off on a romantic break this Valentine’s? One of the best ways to make this a memorable experience is to uninstall your work email from your phone. Apparently more than half of us check our work emails while we’re on holiday! We also recommend taking all social media apps off your phone. Social media addiction is defined as a compulsive and obsessive use of social media, documenting every aspect of your life on any/all platforms. The only person we should want to share our entire life with is our partners – they shouldn’t have to find out through Facebook! Turning off push notifications will also allow you to focus more fully on spending time with your loved ones.
Swap ‘Netflix and Chill’ for nature
How often do you and your partner spend evenings watching TV or films? We challenge you to get out in nature and explore somewhere new with your other half for Valentine’s Day. You’re sure to reap the many benefits of getting back to nature including; better focus, lower blood pressure and improved immune system. Plus, you’ll be making new memories with your partner which don’t revolve around tech!
Let’s prove that romance isn’t dead and show our loved ones that they are our priority, not our notifications! We’d love to know how you get on this Valentine’s Day, will you manage to #LogOffForLove? Make sure you tweet us @TimeToLogOff and use the hashtag #LogOffForLove!
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