What is meant by "digital detox"? Digitization and its impact on mental health

In today's society, we are increasingly surrounded by digital devices. We can hardly put our smartphone down and our work increasingly takes place online. We are constantly reachable, connected and busy. The idea of Digital Detox is therefore an important approach to bring our lives back into balance.

What is Digital Detox?

Digital Detox means consciously disconnecting from digital devices and technologies. It's about taking a break from emails, social media, smartphones and other digital devices. It's an opportunity to take back control of our lives, relax and deepen our relationships with family, friends and colleagues.

Advantages and disadvantages of Digital Detox

Digital Detox has many benefits, including improving mental health and reducing stress and anxiety. It can help us increase our creativity and productivity and help us find a healthy work-life balance. Many go into Digital Detox to be more focused and relaxed, and to learn or work better. It has been found that just getting a notification can heavily distract us, even if you don't respond to it at all. Also, a link has been discovered between frequent use of social networks and lowered academic performance.

However, there are also some disadvantages, such as the fear of missing something or the feeling of not always being reachable. It's also worth mentioning that many people nowadays work full-time with digital devices. If you work as a social media manager, for example, you automatically spend a good few hours a day in front of the screen without being online in your free time. In this aspect, Digital Detox can prove to be a challenge.

How and when to do Digital Detox?

Digital Detox can be practiced quite simply for a few hours in everyday life. For example, you could go without technology for one hour after getting up and two hours before going to bed. You can also spend an entire day or even a weekend without digital devices to enjoy life away from the screen.

There are many ways to practice Digital Detox. For example, we can turn off our devices at certain times or disconnect from them for a certain period of time. A weekend without the Internet or a hiking vacation without technology can help us rethink our relationship with digital devices and re-learn how to get along without them.

Digital Detox in companies

·        Introduction to the importance of a digital detox and the impact of digital overkill on health and well-being.

·        Does social media make us lonely and depressed?

·        What is social contagion on social media?

·        polarization and social media

·        Social media and impact on mental health

·        The gaming and the aggressiveness

·        The blue screen light

·        Digital media and sleep

·        Action plan for a digital detox

·        Stress at work

·        Definitions: wellbeing, stress, digital detox

·        Practical exercises and techniques to improve your use of digital devices and reduce stress

·        Discussions and workshops to promote awareness and responsibility in dealing with technology

·        Tips and tricks for a successful digital detox and integration into everyday life

Digitization and its impact on mental health

Digitalization has many benefits, but it also has an impact on our mental health. Permanent accessibility can lead to overwork, and dependence on digital devices can cause us to become alienated from the real world. This culture of permanent accessibility has been shown to lead to chronic stress and emotional overload.

Conscious use of digital technologies can help us build a healthy relationship with them and improve our mental health. Likewise, a conscious approach to digital technology can also relieve stress on the body. Constantly looking at screens absorbs blue light, which has been shown to impact sleep quality. Especially before bed, it is advisable to stay away from digital devices to ensure a restful sleep.

Tips for using our devices

It is important to realize that constant consumption of digital media can also have disadvantages. In addition to the physical and mental stresses mentioned above, too much consumption can also affect interpersonal relationships. 31% of Internet users miss out on valuable time spent with friends and family.

It is therefore advisable to integrate regular digital detox phases into everyday life. You can proceed according to your needs and individual situation. Some tips are:

• Keep cell phone and laptop use to a minimum
• Ban digital devices from the bedroom
• Schedule times without digital devices, e.g., when eating or exercising
• Find alternatives to digital media consumption, e.g. reading or going for a walk
• Do not use cell phone as an alarm clock
• Don't multitask on digital devices

There are many ways to incorporate Digital Detox into your daily life. It is important to be aware of the effects that excessive consumption of digital media can have and to take time for yourself and interpersonal relationships.

Overall, Digital Detox can help you achieve a healthier work-life balance, reduce stress and improve your well-being. So it's worth taking time out regularly for a digital break and consciously paying attention to your own needs.

More Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_detox

https://journals.uic.edu/ojs/index.php/spir/article/view/11244

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cyber.2019.0578

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12599-022-00747-x#Bib1

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20501579211028647

https://www.itstimetologoff.com/digital-detox-facts/