Back with another very important topic, I admitted a couple of times that "off-screen" time is very very important, especially as a parent/student. I have been doing these two days, weekend digital detoxes every now and then in different ways, either by removing apps and letting the phone do only its phone work. Only checking social media from the computer once a day. Scheduling my posts ahead.. sometimes going off wifi totally ( I did this while on a hiking camping trip in 2014) .. etc.. I even announced my resolution online to cut off facebook for a while during the holiday.. but sadly I couldn't keep my promise to myself, it was quite tough during the holidays and that is when I realized I need to put action to this problem because I don't like to feel addicted to something.
I took some time to think deeply about the whole social media thing.. despite that my drive and first reason to use social media in the first place is my Blog and my family and friends overseas. But I noticed the last two years since I was on maternity leave that the need for social media increased slowly. It was also a good distraction sometimes when I was bored alone or feeling down and nostalgic so I got cheered up by my old contacts on the distance.
Now enough with making excuses, I deactivated my personal Facebook account for a week and took an Instagram break to not use social media for private purposes. So I am focusing only on using social media for my creative work/blog.. and keep my private social interactions with friends only direct. After all social media destroys the real bonds between people, family and friends assume "how you are doing with your life" from your social media feeds and no one really knows how it actually is behind sense because we only post the highlight reel of our lives. Which leads to the accusation of "living a fake life" online. I hope you guys can benefit from these tips below which really helped me:
Read my favorite articles: How to Live More Wisely Around Our Phones and How the Modern World Makes Us Mentally Ill
I’ve got to admit that the idea of unplugging seems a little scary… and even a tad irresponsible? I mean, my entire career lives squarely in the digital space, and I also feel the need to be on call in case my kids need me, so a part of me feels like it’s just not doable to take a digital detox regularly. But there’s also a part of me that wonders if the fact that it’s so difficult for me to disconnect is also the reason why it’s so crucial that I find a way to do it. We’ll soon see! My 3 1/2 day experiment kicks off in a couple weeks when we hop a flight with a few friends for a weekend trip to Miami. The idea of soaking up the sun, listening to the waves crash, and burying myself in a great read without any iPhone interruptions sounds positively blissful right now — I’ll let you know how it goes post-trip. - Cammille Styles Blogger
We’ve all done it (and by “it” I mean killing time at a red light scrolling through our feed.) It’s a bad habit, and not just because it’s seriously dangerous. Kick the habit by placing your bag in the backseat of the car, out of reach. You can use your commute time more wisely by tuning in to a great podcast or listening to a new album.
2-NEVER put your phone on the dinner table (unless you’re eating alone).
Let’s go ahead and make it official: it’s just plain uncivilized to leave your phone resting on the dinner table when you’re eating with other people. If there was ever a time you shouldn’t be playing around on social media, it’s when you’re face to face with someone sharing a meal. Make it a rule and stick to it.
3-Stop posting in real time.
Bloggers have known this secret for a long time — it’s usually not efficient or even necessary to post in real time. Take all the pics you want, but save the editing/captioning/posting process for later when you can sit down and focus on that task by yourself. Enjoy the moment you are in!
4-Designate two social media check-in times per day and let yourself look forward to them.
For me, I like to use the early morning for my “outgoing” social media. That’s the time I typically edit, caption, and post images from the day before. I use the time right after work (around 6pm) for “incoming” social media. That’s when I catch up on my feed, respond to comments and messages, etc. My 6pm check-in is a treat after a hard day’s work!
5-Unfollow accounts that aren’t truly inspiring to you.
Following fewer accounts will naturally cut down on your social media time, and if you take your editing seriously it can actually increase the value of the time that you DO spend on social media. Ask yourself: do you really need to know what Kaia Gerber ate for breakfast today? Only you can answer that.
6-Plan a trip somewhere without wifi.
Okay, so this is definitely the most fun step of the diet: plan a trip somewhere off the grid. Maybe it’s a weekend camping trip, or a visit to a remote beach in Mexico, or just a trip where you keep your phone in airplane mode the entire time. Take as many pics as you want — you can share them all on social media once you get back. You’ll be surprised at how light it feels. With nothing to check in on, you can totally check out.
Digital Detox
Discover what you hope to get out of your digital detox. Is your goal stress-relief, undistracted time with your family/friends, an opportunity to think and reset, improved sleep, or a break from all the hurry of daily life? Determine your priorities, then make plans accordingly. When your day involves hanging out with people you love, cooking a great meal, reading a book, going for a walk, or taking a trip somewhere new, it makes it much less likely that you’re going to be wishing you were scrolling through Instagram.
Do some advance prep. Since the goal is to avoid as much anxiety as possible while on your digital detox, set expectations by letting people know that you’re going to be offline and unavailable. You can also provide a use-only-in-case-of-emergency number, which may help you resist the urge to check “just in case.”
Be ready for withdrawals. I’ve heard that symptoms may include boredom, anxiety, or just a strong urge to look at your phone. Hang in there and resist the temptation; after a few hours, the feelings should subside and you can actually start to enjoy the feeling of not being connected.
Embrace missing out. Instead of giving in to FOMO, why not allow yourself to actually enjoy missing out on the requests and demands of others, especially since when you do plug in again, you most likely won’t have missed out on anything significant at all. Unplugging allows you to set your own schedule and be the author of your own thoughts – which sounds pretty damn awesome to me.
Make friends with boredom. Most of us have become so unaccustomed to ever having a lull in our schedules that we haven’t had a moment of boredom in ages. But did you know that having quiet time — walking down the street and engaging with what’s around us without looking at our phones; eating a meal and savoring the our food without needing any kind of digital distraction — can be one of the greatest opportunity for creative thinking or key epiphanies? Try letting your mind wander and just watch where it takes you.
Source info: camillestyles.com
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