How to Digital Detox in 4 Steps

As a working parent, it may be tough to turn off your phone or laptop once at home. But in order to focus on real life and the importance of your family, it’s a necessity in spending quality time with your loved ones. A digital detox will help you rest better and to reconnect with the activities you enjoy such as reading or writing or spending extra time with your family. When was the last time you felt refreshed by looking at a Facebook post? Or inspired by a photo on Instagram? Or felt creative after reading a work e-mail? Give yourself a chance to step away from the screens and to recharge and balance yourself out by following these digital detox tips.

1. Find the right time to disconnect
   Choose a time during that’s realistic for you and your family to switch off all cell phones, tablets, laptops, computers and anything else with a distracting screen or alerts for at least 24 hours. You might choose a holiday or a long weekend. It’s also common for people to announce on social media or at the very least to their friends and families when they are planning on doing a digital detox.
2. Make a commitment
   A digital detox doesn’t mean anything if you don’t commit to it. If you tell yourself, “We’ll see how long I can make it,” or “I’ll check my texts later today” you will be setting yourself up to fail. If you want your digital detox to be successful, you need to make sure that everyone’s on board. Set a good example for your kids by making a 24, 48 or 72 hour (or more!) commitment and sticking to it.
3. Fill your normal digital time with non-digital activities
   It might be difficult to make the switch at first, and that’s why it’s important to have other activities planned ahead of time. Take a trip to the children’s museum or to the library or to an indoor pool (if it’s cold outside). When you fill your lives with non-digital activities, you will find joy in your digital detox time, where you aren’t constantly being interrupted and alerted by a barrage of notifications.
4. Journal your digital detox
   Some people enjoy journal writing, and it could be beneficial to you to write down the changes that take place with your digital detox, such as feeling less anxiety, more downtime, and more time to think and be creative. Of course, make sure you go the old fashioned way with your journal—wouldn’t want you to be tempted to log into social media while you’re typing away your feelings about being disconnected!
5. Don’t gorge when you reconnect
   It’ll surely be tempting to scroll around and catch up on everything you missed when you finally log back on, but don’t. The reality is, life went on while you were on your digital detox and it’s okay that you missed some of your cousin Susie’s witty posts or a video that your mother-in-law shared.

Digital detox: it’s not a weird or a “fad.” Everyone can benefit from a digital detox from CEOs to stay at home parents. Think of it as a way to recharge your own batteries and focus on what’s important. Who knows? You might actually enjoy it!