Unplug to Recharge: Why a Digital Detox Might Be Exactly What You Need

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Today’s world is constantly on, 24/7, without a break. There is always one more ping or message coming in no matter the time of day. You reach for your phone first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. But what would it take to take a break, even for a few hours or a day?  This is the idea behind a digital detox. It is an intentional pause from screens to reconnect with yourself and your relationships. It falls under the category of self-care because it is so powerful for your wellbeing. It is also a wonderful way to process what’s going on in the world around you.

What Is a Digital Detox?

A digital detox is any period of intentional disconnection from digital devices, especially smartphones, social media, email, and other screen-based distractions. It can last an afternoon, a weekend, or even longer. The goal isn’t to give up technology forever. It is a pause and reset of your relationship with technology.

The Benefits of a Digital Detox

There are many benefits to a digital detox including physical rest, improved cognition, and improved relationships. With digital notifications always on, you feel overwhelmed by the amount and velocity of information coming in. A detox helps you reclaim your attention and increase your productivity because you are no longer constantly distracted by jumping between apps or losing efficiency because you have been interrupted. You can prioritize getting a good night’s rest. Blue light from screens can interfere with melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. By unplugging an hour before bed, your body gets a chance to unwind naturally, improving both the quality and quantity of your rest. Choose real rest over playing an online game to unwind. Attention is the world’s most valuable resource. Whether it’s dinner with family or time with friends, being present matters. A digital detox encourages real conversations and deeper connections without the distraction of phones during a meal. You often get your news about the world and your friends in digital form. Endless scrolling often leads to comparison, overwhelm, or even doomscrolling. A break from newsfeeds and inboxes can lighten your mental load and boost your mood. Tap into your own “why” to reap the benefits of this pause in technology.

How to Start Your Own Detox

  • Set a time frame with intention. You can start small by choosing a few specific hours each day, one evening a week, or a weekend to be offline.
  • Set up a common charging spot for your devices to ensure they are ready to go the next day fully charged and put away.
  • Establish areas in your home that are screen-free, such as your bedroom, dinner table, or a reading nook as screen-free.
  • Plan analog activities that fill your cup and your time. These could be cooking, drawing, playing games, writing, or going outside.
  • After your detox, note what changed. Did you feel more relaxed? More connected? Use that insight to shape your ongoing tech habits.
  • Quick start your detox with phones away at meals. You will feel an amazing benefit right away.

A Reset Worth Taking

Technology can be an amazing tool when used with intention. Sometimes the best way to reconnect is to step away for a bit. As Anne Lamott says: “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”  A digital detox gives you the space to recharge, refocus, and return with a clearer sense of what really matters. You might be surprised by what you notice when you finally look up.

Click here for your digital detox quick start bingo! 

How to Streamline Your Digital Life for Spring

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Spring is the perfect time to not only clean out our physical spaces but also to declutter our digital lives. From overflowing email inboxes to disorganized files on our devices, digital clutter can add unnecessary stress and hinder productivity. Here are five practical ways to help you streamline your digital workspace and create a more efficient and clutter-free environment.

 

Assess, prioritize, and plan

The first step in digital decluttering is to assess your current digital landscape. Evaluate the organization of your devices, apps, and digital accounts and identify which areas are causing the most clutter.  Prioritize the organizing process based on urgency and importance. Are your email inboxes overflowing? Is your desktop cluttered with files? Make a list of the areas that need the most attention to guide your decluttering process. Create a plan and assign time blocks to move this project forward.

 

Declutter Your Email Inbox

An overflowing inbox can be overwhelming and make it difficult to find important messages. Start by unsubscribing from newsletters and promotional emails you no longer read or need. You may want to add a second email for shopping and promotional information. Next, create folders or labels to categorize your emails and archive or delete messages that are no longer relevant. Create a sustainable system that works with the way you think and use your computer.

 

Organize Your Digital Files

Just like physical clutter, digital clutter can accumulate quickly if left unchecked. Start by decluttering and organizing your files on your computer, cloud storage, and other devices. Add to your folder structure to improve organization and move files into their appropriate folders. Delete duplicate files, old documents, and anything else you no longer need.

 

Streamline Your Devices and Apps

Do you have apps on your phone or computer that you never use? Are there unnecessary widgets cluttering your desktop or home screen? Declutter and streamline your devices by uninstalling unused apps, organizing your home screen or desktop, and removing unnecessary shortcuts or widgets. Consider organizing your apps into folders or categories to make them easier to find and access.

 

Check for digital safety

Update your passwords with an online password manager. Cyber threats are some of the most dangerous. Keep safe with passwords that include initials of unusual phrases and of 8-10 characters in length. Check out these other ways to keep cyber safe too. Be sure you are enabling multi-factor authorization and backing up each day.

 

Keep your spring digital organizing momentum going. Schedule regular digital decluttering sessions to review and delete old files, unsubscribe from unwanted emails, and organize new documents and messages. Set reminders and use task management apps to help you stay on track with your digital maintenance routine. Decluttering your digital space not only reduces stress but also improves productivity and focus.

Summer Digital Photo Organizing

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Summer is a great time to organize photos. It is fun to do as you relive the moments of the year.  We know the value of our work because our photos are our priceless possessions. However, it might feel overwhelming to organize photos because we all have zillions of photos on various devices. Not to worry! With a series of manageable baby steps, chunking the work into smaller units, we can organize our photos and enjoy these even more.

Tidy up as you go.

Deleting photos as you take them makes it easier to get organized. We often take multiple of the same shot and choose the best. Go back right away and delete what you did not use. You can also delete photos instead of scrolling through social media. You can make this manageable by deleting while you wait in line.

Categorize with digital albums.

Create digital albums for special events, holidays, vacations, and other times you want to keep a group of photos together. Create a shared album if you want to share a category of photos with others. Google Photos and Apple’s Photo app automatically categorize photos to search by person, location, or keyword. A digital photo album can be uploaded to printing sites to create a photo book. These can also be uploaded already grouped together as a backup for your photos.

 

Use consistent naming and categories

Organized photos use easy naming conventions for searching. Name folders with broader topics for groups of categories. An index will help you remember the names of your categories and the name convention. Information to use in a naming convention includes the year, names of people, the event, or the holiday.

 

Back up your photos in three locations

According to professional photo organizers, everyone should back up their photos in three places. Online automated backups include iCloud or google photos. External hard drives and backups on your computer hard drive are all possible backups. There are many paid online storage photo options. Be cautious about changes to these options for duration and pricing.

 

Share joy with your photos

There are many ways to share your photos once you have organized these.  Use widgets on your devices to keep photos on your home screen. Photo books are a special way to celebrate friends and family. Occasions like family reunions, weddings and annual albums are wonderful ways to remember all the special occasions all year long. Family text threads are an opportunity to share special moments at the moment. Organizing your photos gives you the opportunity and ease of sharing.

 

Summer Digital Decluttering Checklist

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Summer is a great time to do your digital decluttering. Digital decluttering is editing your digital space including your computer, phone, and devices. All this extra information builds up invisibly yet continuously. Take back some of your head space and computer space with these tips.

 

Your decluttering plan

Just like decluttering physically, know what you want to accomplish for your digital decluttering. Your goals might be to streamline your devices, eliminate extra cognitive load with too many apps and social media accounts, or know more about where your materials are located. Align your intention with time blocks to help you edit. It is easiest to start with a small amount of time and a  small project. While waiting in line, delete. If you are on hold for a call, edit. You will find small chunks of time work best for these decisions.

 

Digital decluttering spots

For work:

There is never downtime for work. Set up a time this summer when you can focus on organizing your documents.

  • Drafts of documents
  • Empty digital folders
  • Your computer desktop
  • Downloads from previous projects

 

On your devices:

Your digital clutter builds up without good organization. Check these items to be sure you keep what you want and you organize it.

  • Duplicate photos
  • Downloads
  • Delete and then categorize apps
  • Review paid subscriptions
  • Social media accounts
  • Review notifications

 

With email and your computer:

Be brutal with your email.

  • Sort your inbox and establish rules to move information into folders automatically
  • Delete and unsubscribe to email newsletters or advertisements
  • Review passwords
  • Delete files and organize your google drive

No matter how much you declutter, remember that the safety of your computer and devices depends on backing up. Set up an automatic backup system, being sure these run at least nightly, to keep your information current and safe.