RICH IN FOCUS

[Digital Detox]

Jade Bonacolta
April 03, 2023

Ever heard of intermittent fasting?

You wait a few hours to eat breakfast after waking, and you finish your last meal a few hours before going to sleep.

So… what if we applied that same principle to our screens?

Here’s how a digital detox works:

Let’s dive in.

I’ve been “digital intermittent fasting” for the past 7 days.

(For me, that means no phone from 6-7am and from 9-10pm.)

And these 5 things happened… 🔥

1. Better sleep. (We all know screen time before bed is bad. But I didn’t realize how much better my sleep would get…)

2. Awareness of my constant impulse to check my phone. (I genuinely wouldn’t notice this if I didn’t “detox” for those 2 hours x day)

3. Boosted focus + productivity. (It’s wild how much more I get done when I’m not constantly task-switching)

4. Less anxiety. (Such a relief to give my brain a break from cheap dopamine like social media, texts, pings, the news).

But the most surprising part…?

5. Way less screen time during the hours when I can use my phone.

(Seriously.)

I had 48% fewer phone pickups (between 7am-9pm) this week vs. last week.

1. Decide your detox times. I recommend 1 hour after you wake up + 1 hour before bed. (If that feels too big, try just 1 of them. You got this.)

2. Buy a physical alarm clock to get you up in the morning (so you’re not reliant on your phone).

3. 1 hour before bedtime, plug your phone into a charger somewhere fully out of sight (ideally not in your bedroom).

4. Let people (who text you often) know that you’re trying this out and won’t be on your phone for those 2 hours x day.

5. Plan how you’re going to “fill the void.” (This is so important):

Morning ideas: (1 hour)
Work out, go for a walk, shower, cook breakfast, meditate, write down your 3 most important tasks, start deep work.
Evening ideas: (1 hour)
Spend screen-free time with your partner, get into flow with some creative work, read a few chapters of a book.

It might feel uncomfortable in the beginning. Just make it through the first two days. Start small. It’ll get easier.

And all of a sudden, you’ll realize… you’ve replaced 2 hours of mindless scroll with habits that are building your dreams.

Here’s to making 2023 your best year. 🥂

Jade

P.S. Come say hi on Instagram 👋🏼