{"id":247805,"date":"2021-03-05T07:46:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T15:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/?p=247805"},"modified":"2021-08-27T23:42:58","modified_gmt":"2021-08-28T06:42:58","slug":"digital-detox","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lulus.com\/blog\/lifestyle\/digital-detox\/","title":{"rendered":"I Tried a Digital Detox For One Week: Here’s What Happened"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"a
Image via @sandratewfik<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do you check your iPhone every time you get a notification? Are you glued to social media 90 percent of the day? If this sounds like you, trust me, you’re not alone. According to a recent <\/span>study<\/span><\/a> conducted by the University of Cambridge, nearly one in five people use technology for more than seven hours a day. Three out of five of the study participants admitted that their entire family would benefit from having more tech-free time when devices were turned off each day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, the reality is that the COVID-19 pandemic has made us more dependent on technology<\/a> than ever. With so many people going to school<\/a> and working<\/a> remotely, the boundaries between work<\/a> and home<\/a> life have completely blurred, leaving little-to-no time to truly unwind<\/a>. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have also contributed to added stress<\/a> and anxiety, thanks to carefully-curated posts that sometimes result in FOMO.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"a
Image via @sistersguidetostyle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So what do we do to combat this non-stop barrage of screen time? The hard truth is that we live in an era where technology offers plenty of benefits like easy access to a wealth of information, a timely news cycle, and a free way to connect<\/a> with faraway family and friends. But there are also plenty of drawbacks. As a working mother of two young kids, I often find myself at the mercy of my smartphone, constantly checking email for messages about incoming assignments or upcoming project deadlines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The truth is, it’s all just too much sometimes, which is why I recently decided to do a digital detox. I desperately needed a breather from the flurry of text and email messages that fill my inbox each day. So I decided to ditch all of my devices, including my smartphone, TV, and computer for an entire week.\u00a0<\/span>No excuses, no cheating, and no exceptions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"a
Image via @alex.floyd<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I could barely contain my excitement at the prospect of having some serious downtime. To prepare, I posted a message on my Facebook wall letting the world know I’d be offline for a week, then hit \u201csend\u201d on a group text to my family and friends telling everyone to call if they needed anything but I wouldn’t be replying to any messages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sounds easy enough, right? Guess again. Although I was thrilled to take a much-needed technology break, I was surprisingly anxious on Day 1 of my digital detox. It felt strange not looking at a screen whenever I was bored.\u00a0 I was slightly worried that I was missing potential work assignments. Of course, everybody knew I was MIA for the week, but I felt super restless and stressed anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thankfully, the anxiety subsided by Day 3, when I really started to feel the benefits of going tech-free. Not only was I more present for my kids, but I felt a calmness I literally haven’t felt in years. It was freeing to give up social media, albeit temporarily, to focus on real life instead. The kids and I had a blast playing tag outdoors<\/a>, doing a science project for homeschool, and reading together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"a
Image via @hangwithanna<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In fact, I was shocked at how much more free time I had than usual. I wanted to make the most of it so I made a conscious effort to read books,\u00a0 catch up on phone calls, and indulge in longer workouts<\/a> and nightly meditations<\/a>. It was incredibly relaxing<\/a> and really helped me decompress<\/a> from the non-stop demands of juggling work, family, and kids during a pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, by Day 5 or 6, I was starting to miss \u201cordinary\u201d life. My husband and I usually watch TV<\/a> together every night after the kids go to bed. It’s really our only time to hang out alone, so I really wanted to get back to our regular routine. Surprisingly, I also missed the instant gratification of text messages when I just needed to send a quick note without having a 10-minute conversation, as well as the ability to check emails to stay on top of new work.<\/span><\/p>\n

But, most of all, I missed family movie nights<\/a> and watching YouTube<\/a> videos about chubby seals with my kids. So, when Day 7 finally arrived, I was more than ready to jump back online–with a few minor modifications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"a
Image via @anaelhector<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These days, I have my phone set to sleep<\/a> mode so that I won’t be interrupted by incoming text notifications after bedtime<\/a>. I’ve also stopped checking social media every five minutes, limiting myself to just a few times a day instead. I do the same with email. I’ve realized that the world won’t come to an end if I unplug for a few hours a day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Overall, I think my digital detox was a huge game-changer for me. Taking time to disconnect really gave me the ability to really examine the way I use technology<\/a>, as well as figuring out how to change my habits for the better.<\/span><\/p>\n

The best part? No more FOMO. <\/span>I’m already living my best life now.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you done the digital detox challenge? Tell us your thoughts in the comments–and score more self-care from our Beauty and Wellness<\/a> shop!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you check your iPhone every time you get a notification? Are you glued to social media 90 percent of the day? If this sounds like you, trust me, you’re not alone. According to a recent study conducted by the University of Cambridge, nearly one in five people use technology for more than seven hours… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":247844,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42077],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-247805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy I Did A Digital Detox-And Why You Should Try It - Lulus.com Fashion Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Overwhelmed by constant news alerts, social media, texts, and emails, I decided to do a digital detox. 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