Modern life is pretty fast-paced, and for many of us, being constantly available to others and scrolling through social media feeds has become almost second nature. But are you sacrificing your own mental health and wellbeing by spending so much time on technology?
In the UK alone, it’s estimated that we spend an average of 4 hours and 14 minutes on our phones every day. And while there’s a lot of entertainment and resources at your fingertips, there’s also a lot of stress and pressure that can comes from being attached to your digital devices.
Research shows that taking some time away from your digital comforts can help you to sleep better and improve your overall mood, so that you can come back recharged and ready to log in again.
Here’s a guide to making sure you do your digital detox with ease.
Workplace Apps and other Digital Devices
Maintaining good mental health in the workplace is important and sometimes it is tempting to check work emails from the comfort of your sofa or catch up on the latest Teams or Slack messages. But a separation between work and home life is an important part of establishing boundaries that prioritise your wellbeing before your workload.
Work on checking these messages within your actual contracted hours. In a few days, you’ll soon notice a huge difference in how much more relaxed you feel!
Social Media Feeds and Intrusive Thoughts
Social Media has many uses, but it can also make us feel inferior. From filtered images of airbrushed influencers and unachievable beauty standards to seeing people we know celebrating successes we’d like to achieve for ourselves, it can begin to weigh heavily on our mental health.
Allow yourself 2-4 weeks away from social media. Use that spare time to work on your own personal goals and developments. After all, that’s how to put plans in action to accomplish your dreams without comparing yourself to others.
More Free Time and Increased Productivity
Deleting your apps for just a month will offer you a surprising amount of free time to make use of. That hobby you’ve always wanted to start up? There’s time! That skill you’ve always wanted to learn? There’s time!
In time, you’ll find that putting the phone down and focusing your own personal needs can make you more productive, positive, and driven.
Signs That it’s Time to Take a Digital Detox
If you feel that these statements relate to your relationship with technology, then it may be time to take a break from your digital comforts and focus on yourself for a while.
· Your devices tend to put you in a worse mood after scrolling through them
· You think about social media more than you do doing things in real life
· You feel anxious when you’re not near your phone
· You struggle with communicating to others in person
· You find yourself depressed or anxious after looking through social media
· You constantly compare your life and success to other people on social media
If any of the above apply to you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of counsellors for a confidential chat.
Our 24/7 helpline is always available to you. Call us on 0800 206 2552
