This post was submitted by Sophia Smith, beauty and style blogger, an eco-lifestyle lover, graphic designer and a DIY enthusiast. .

Inside Scoop: Here’s why a digital detox needs to be on your priority list and easy ways to unplug.

Apparently, we are unaware of the overwhelming digital consumerism that plagues our lives. Sounds like an exaggeration? The truth is actually far more complex than that: studies have shown that in 2017, we used to spend almost 6 hours every day on our phones, laptops and other gadgets perusing the internet. Two years later, and we can only assume that the numbers have gone up, since we have introduced many new apps, platforms, and social networks to explore in the meantime.

As useful as these digital outlets may be, it has become of paramount importance to start restoring that much-needed balance to our lives. Most of us won’t admit it, but you’re in the majority if you take your phone with you when you go to the bathroom. Seriously? No private, offline time ever?

Every facet of our existence has become inextricably linked to all things digital. Which is precisely why we need to find a way to let it go and take a digital detox every now and then.

Understand the ramifications

Since the consequences of spending too much time “hooked” on various forms of tech are slow to come, it’s best to educate yourself beforehand and practice preventative measures. Some of the following are the most common effects that too much digital consumption can have on your quality of life:

• Poor sleep quality – exposing yourself to too much artificial light from all those digital devices affects your brain to prevent that naturally occurring sleep mode. It interferes with your hormones, exposing you to more cortisol than you need, leading to sleepless nights and a lack of energy throughout the day.
• Lack of productivity – too much digital distraction, and you’ll find yourself constantly interrupting your own workflow, putting off relevant tasks to check for private messages, and ultimately wreaking havoc on your work performance.
• Fosters inactivity – a sedentary lifestyle is a leading cause of obesity and many related diseases, and our tech obsession is only adding to the turmoil.

3 Easy Ways for a Daily Digital Detox

Now that you have scratched the surface of what happens to your mind and body as you sink deeper into the rabbit hole of digital consumption, you should come up with a way to gain more control over your behavior.

Change your environment

For starters, create a little oasis for yourself, a safe haven where you can meditate, calm your mind, and build a healthier mindset towards using technology.

Infuse your space with the right soothing atmosphere, so bring out those scented candle supplies and play some calming music in the background so that you can truly inspire a positive mood for your meditative sessions. Remove all digital distractions and focus on affirmations that help you break free of that belief that you’ll stay connected only when you use tech. Replace them with your own mantras and let those anxious impulse patterns such as random email checking in the middle of a family dinner melt away.

Spend more time in nature

Another way to help yourself appreciate your life more is to create experiences outside of the digital realm. As useful as it may be for communicating with our loved ones, there are better ways to spend your time and bond with the people you love. One of them is spending time in nature. This one habit has a myriad of benefits for your wellbeing, from boosting your mood, improving your immune system, all the way to relieving stress and its many physical symptoms.

The next time you feel like talking to your sibling, or you feel that you need to spend more quality time with the kids, why not prep a picnic basket, put on your hiking shoes, and head to a lake outside the city? Or anything else that will get you away from your laptop and preferably inspire you to put away the phone.

Tech-free time

Most of us use digital solutions to do our jobs, so we rely on laptops, smartphones, and other devices to communicate, conduct meetings, and enjoy our social connections. However, instead of letting digital time dominate our real-life time, we can set up a clear, structured digital routine to help use the best of both worlds without becoming overly-dependent on the digital one.

By assigning specific times of the day to specific digital tasks, you can actually make more time for yourself, for your fitness routine, for meal prepping, for friends and family, and for finally reading that book. When you stick to email correspondence in the morning, or you write presentations in the afternoon, and you keep digital distractions at bay to avoid time-wasters, you’ll open up a world of opportunities to spend more quality time with the people you love – yourself included.

As much as the digital world has reshaped our lives for the better, we need to find a way to maintain a healthy balance of how we spend our time. Use these tips to infuse your life with more quality, serenity, and love, and you’ll soon enjoy all aspects of your life to a much greater extent. What does your digital detox look like?

SOPHIA SMITH

Sophia Smith is beauty and style blogger, an eco-lifestyle lover, graphic designer and a DIY enthusiast. She is very passionate about natural skincare, minimalist wardrobe, yoga and mindful living. Sophia writes mostly about beauty-related topics in her articles. She has contributed to a number of publications including: Eco Warrior Princess, Viva Glam Magazine, How to Simplify and Carousel. You can find out more about her writing by following her on: Facebook & Twitter.