19 Oct 5 Things That Happen To You on a Digital Detox Retreat
We’re back from another successful digital detox retreat. Much like our guests, we’re feeling renewed and restored after spending a few days offline, focusing on ourselves. For those thinking of going on a retreat, it can be hard to know what to expect. So, we’ve made a list of five amazing things that happen to while you’re unplugged which lead to you coming away with an increased sense of well-being. These are all inspired by previous retreat guests – these guys have been there and done it!
Our Italian Digital Detox Retreat
#1 You Sleep Better
“Our quality of sleep hugely improved over the duration of the retreat…We came away feeling astonishingly refreshed and restored.” Richard Unwin, Gay Times
We carry out a wellness survey before and after every retreat. One of the questions focuses on sleep quality and asks guests to rate theirs out of ten. Before the retreat, guests rated their sleep quality as 4.5/10 on average and after unplugging with us, it soared to 8.5/10! If you struggle to sleep, take frequent breaks from screens and never use them in the run up to bed – they keep you feeling alert.
#2 You Connect With Yourself
“It occurs to me how frantic technology makes me, how my conversations at home have started to sound more like glib Twitter back-and-forths.” – Caroline O’Donoghue, The Pool
To reconnect with yourself, you have to disconnect from your devices first. Our guests are always surprised about how much they learn about themselves and their technology habits during the retreats. It’s a wonderful chance to escape, go off-grid and understand how your lifestyle is taking its toll on your well-being.
Our Somerset Digital Detox Retreat
#3 You Connect With Others
“Without distractions, our conversations were much richer and more interesting, and I felt far more connected than I usually do in my super-connected digital world” – Emily Luxton, Travel Writer
We have great conversations on our retreats. Without our smartphones and screens to distract us, we give real attention to those around us. We make an effort to listen and reveal more about ourselves to a bunch of strangers than we would have ever expected to. It’s refreshing; the perfect antidote to the way we hide behind our phones in awkward social situations. It reminds guests to give their loved ones the attention they deserve when they get back home, too.
#4 You Remember What You Love in Life
“I notice the beauty of the countryside during our walk and am able to sit still on the sofa, reading a book for 25 straight minutes. I eat slower.” – Anna Magee, The Telegraph
The beauty of a digital detox retreat is that, while there are lots of great activities planned, all stresses from normal daily life are alleviated. Instead of turning to Netflix to chill out, we do yoga, go on walks and find our creativity – something that our brains struggle to achieve when we’re constantly feeding them with notifications and information. You might remember the joy of picking up a good book, of getting outdoors or of just doing very little. Giving your mind time to unwind leaves you feeling inspired and ready to go home with a new, healthier mindset and the ability to focus.
Creativity on our recent Digital Detox Retreat in Italy
#5 You Find Perspective
“I hadn’t checked the news but I didn’t fear that the world had fallen apart. I felt recharged, not anxious about the work I’d missed.” – Alex French, Travel + Leisure
Guests come away with a new toolkit of tips and tricks to get a handle on their screen time. And even more than that, they experience a sense of perspective when their devices are returned to them. Guests realise that, in fact, very little happened while they were away. It’s about putting your phone back in its place, understanding that it’s not only OK not to be connected 24/7, it’s necessary to unplug.
These are just five of the many wonderful things that happen on a digital detox retreat. Discover when our next one is and see for yourself! If you’d like a taster of the unplugged world first, we’re now running workshops in London that are also device-free.
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