As we discover more about how our lifestyles and food choices really affect us, we’re embracing wellness and putting our well-being first. We’re becoming more clued up on the importance of eating a balanced diet, enjoying mindfulness and self care and making time for regular exercise. But, what about our tech habits?
At Time To Log Off, we’ve spent the last few years championing digital detox, a response to the switch towards a 24/7 digital culture that is all-consuming. We’ve shared volumes of research around how our obsession with screens is negatively affecting our health and well-being.
From stress to poor sleep, our overuse of tech has multiple knock-on effects. And many have started to sit up and take note. In line with other well-being movements, such as clean eating, people are embracing our digital counter culture in their everyday lives. Millennials and Generation Z are proving that it’s become trendy to care. Many are ditching Facebook and the over-sharing of previous generations. But while digital detox might be a topic that’s recently gained a lot of press coverage, we know it’s not a fad.
Rewind to pre-smartphone times and you’d be skeptical if someone told you just how much they’d be able to achieve in mobile technology during the next ten years. While our devices and their functionalities bring many benefits, it will be increasingly more difficult to exist without them. Especially as our digital capabilities extend further in the future.
And it’s not just the functionalities of our devices that are keeping us on screens for longer. Our smartphones and apps are designed to addict us, emulating miniature slot machines in our pockets. We’re pulling down to refresh and win messages, likes, recognition and acceptance. It’s perhaps most telling that two of tech’s biggest household names, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, rarely allow their children to use the very products they designed themselves.
Trends, especially fad diets, often gain traction only to be later challenged. For example, coconut oil was until recently seen as the new darling of the health food world. Well, that was before we discovered it’s actually extremely high in saturated fat.
When it comes to digital detox, there’s nothing to hide. Unplugging doesn’t encourage people to ditch their devices forever. Rather just re-find a balance they feel is missing in their lives. People want to improve their focus, feel happier and less stressed. These are all things our digital detox retreat guests experience after unplugging for a few days. They want to achieve more and make time to value their relationships. Digital detox reminds us of the joy in switching off, letting your mind wander and reconnecting with those around you.
If the minds behind modern technology itself are revealing how addictive it is, is it not time to listen? Digital detox has become a necessity to enjoy the benefits, convenience and connectivity brought by the online, on-the-go world safely and healthily. And it’s not going anywhere.
Our seasonal digital detox challenge is to put connection over consumerism this Christmas.
Research has shown that excessive use of technology can be linked to stress - how…
Generative AI creates new text and images from an instruction, or 'prompt'. How will it…
Over-connectedness to social media causes problems with physical and mental health. Here are 7 keys…
Social media can be difficult to put down and impact mental health. Here are 12…
Our seasonal digital detox challenge is to give the most meaningful present you can give…