Digital Detox in the Digital Era - A Small Dare with Big Benefits
When you hear that the average attention span has plummeted over the past decade to just 7 seconds – shorter than the attention span of a goldfish – one ends up wondering what exactly is driving this trend!
The average American spends 11 hours per day listening to, watching, reading, or interacting with media - Nielsen Total Audience Report,
One out of 10 Americans report depression; heavy internet users are 2.5 times more likely to be depressed.
The average teenager spends around 8-12 hours on their screen, not including schoolwork.
One survey from the American Psychological Association, published in 2017, found that nearly one-fifth of people say technology is a source of stress. And 43% of respondents checked their emails, messages, and social media "constantly." [Numbers would have significantly increased in 2022]
These numbers are startling.
School children and adults carry the notion of managing their entire life with the help of these small gadgets. This over-dependence on devices has started affecting each aspect of their well-being. It not only works negatively on one's physical and mental health but also their social and emotional well-being.
Unhealthy screen time can affect your attention span, sleep cycle, and stress levels.
Loss of cognitive ability and physical strain to your eyes and body
Katie Ziskind (family therapist) states, “Screen time leads to dopamine release. This means that the more screen time, the more addicted to screen time you will become.”
For some, life gets turned upside down with the over-involvement of digital interfaces in our day-to-day lives. The result: Shoddy assignments, Lack of attention span during classes, a static and sedentary lifestyle, a dip in marks and extra-curricular, blurred vision of one's growth, and increased chances of suffering from anxiety and depression.
Day to day, our attention is demanded by different tabs on our smartphones. If we are not creating, we are consuming. If we are not empathizing, we are comparing. It is a cage; of that of freedom without absolute independence.
And if we do not consider burnout, it can permanently damage. This brings us to the need for ‘Digital Detox’ today more than ever.
Pleasurable habits are addictive, and to ensure that we take some control back and recharge, a Digital Detox comes across as a perfect solution. By choosing to do a Digital Detox, we give ourselves a chance to hold, stay in the moment, think and not react immediately. Even temporarily, it helps us become more productive and get in touch with what our heart yearns for.
Sometimes quality time with family and friends.
At times, a hug from the rays of a setting sun.
Spending screen-free time today is a luxury - and relaxing one’s grip on their phone is extremely difficult for some. Experts agree that giving up the entire screen time for the whole day is not practical. But ensuring that we set some time limits and establish ground rules around its usage can work wonders.
To help you ease into this habit, we have created a short Training Module that you can immediately start practicing.
Click on the link to access your Free Training: Digital Detox Training Module
Do share your experience with us here: info@eunoiahelp.org.
We are constantly improving and thinking about ways in which we can inspire others to lead happier and lesser-anxious life. Your feedback will help us improve and bring about a change in some lives.
BONUS: Eunoia will send a reminder on Instagram bi-weekly to take a break from scrolling. This will create awareness to take a break and enjoy life outside the screen. Write to us if you want us to send you a REMINDER!