I cannot describe to you the dread I feel on Monday morning when I know I will be confronted with the horrific stat of my average screen time over the past week. And recently I set this feature up on my mum’s phone (it was as if I had discovered fire) and over the reading week, we both realised our screen time on average per day was more than we were sleeping each night. We both were slightly ashamed and it’s fair to say morale in the house took a dip.
Social media and technology have taken over all our lives. We have all done it: Opened TikTok just to scroll for a couple of minutes, and next thing you know you’ve sent a variety of friends hundreds of different videos, and two (dare I say three) hours have passed. It’s so incredibly demoralising these TikTok/ social media holes when you emerge from them, and with the days becoming shorter you end up missing valuable daylight and altogether it’s a sad affair. I have tried time and time again to detox by setting timers on apps, deleting TikTok (which then ended with me scrolling through Instagram reels, which felt like rock bottom), and turning off devices, yet nothing seems to loosen the group my phone has over me. However, I feel it’s time I take back control.
We have all done it: Opened TikTok just to scroll for a couple of minutes, and next thing you know you’ve sent a variety of friends hundreds of different videos, and two (dare I say three) hours have passed.
This is going to be a gradual process; no addiction is broken overnight. As of the past few days, this is how I’ve started my Digital detox: First thing in the morning I turn off the alarm and reluctantly get up and do not reach for my phone. Often the mornings are when I end up spending significant amounts of time on my phone and this postpones getting my day started. I then write out a to-do list and it acts as a structure to my day, if there are things on the list to do it means I can’t go onto any social media platform. Of course, I still have timers on the app (which I am trying to stick to), and I have deleted apps like Twitter just to limit the number of options for me to go to. Also, I have started free writing for a couple of minutes a day. I had realised in the past I would go to social media to let my brain trail off, whereas now I set a period of time and for that time I just write down whatever comes into my head; it’s a good way of emptying everything out of the brain and it’s a great reset. I allow myself times throughout the day to go on my phone but as it’s early days I am slightly stricter with myself. Already there are times when I feel as if I’m missing out not being on it, but I’ll get there! These are just a few suggestions but if you’re also giving this try, be kind to yourself, and good luck! Welcome to rehab…
