Did you know that a digital detox might just be the thing you need to get your creative juices flowing?
Don’t get me wrong the internet is an amazing place. We are connected to a wealth of information, entertainment from all around the world, ability to work from home, and meet new people. What a transformative time to be alive! Especially as creatives, the internet is a place where we can pull inspiration and artistic guidance from. But of course as with anything it comes with massive list of pros and cons..
Now I’ll admit that I have a love / hate relationship with my smartphone. Personally, as an introvert, I get overstimulated easily so digesting a lot of content for too long can make me feel tired, distracted and overwhelmed at times. That’s why partaking some form of a digital detox is vital for my mental wellbeing.
What does your relationship look like with your smartphone? Are you consuming more content than creating?
Then this easy 7 day digital detox challenge might be just what you need! It’s the perfect way to restore peace of mind and encourage space for ideas to pop up for your next creative adventure!
WHAT WILL GAIN FROM DOING A DIGITAL DETOX? :
- Quality & quantity sleep
- More free time
- Lower stress levels
- Reduced likelihood of anxiety
- Improved work / life balance
- Stronger boundaries
- FOMO ( fear of missing out) prevention
- Mindfulness with the world around you
POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS:
- I am the only thing in control of my life
- I can look inside myself as a source of joy.
- The cosmos provides me with an endless amount of inspiration.
- I have an infinite amount of inventiveness.
- I am a never-ending source of inspiration.
DAY 1
TASK : Time limit on apps ( at least one hour max a day)
INSTEAD: Schedule designated time to go through all your messages / apps/ etc
How long do you spend on your phone each day? Social media apps like Instagram are designed to keep us online as long as possible. That’s why if aren’t mindful of our smartphone usage then the apps can easily control our productivity. When my phone’s weekly time spent average came up each week, I was shocked at all the time I had wasted simply going on my phone several times a day!
In fact, did you know that the average person checks their phone around 110 times a day? ( New York-based app Locket study, although other studies this could be even higher!) During peak times that’s about once every 6-7 seconds with some people checking their phones 900 times throughout the day (around 18 hours!)
Like anything new goal we set to achieve, being held accountable is the best thing you can do to keep your promise to yourself! That’s why I love having a time limit on my apps because it does the hard work for me. I don’t have to try and mentally time my phone usage myself throughout the day. It’s been a lifesaver on staying on track if of my 30 minute social app usage a day reminder goes up.
DAY 2
TASK : Unfollow anyone who doesn’t have a positive influence on your creative wellbeing journey
INSTEAD: Organize your app folders into affirmations! Also reflect on who inspires you? What authors, speakers, quotes, places do you love? Follow them!
Are you ever scrolling through Instagram and suddenly get a big hit of FOMO, annoyance, or even anger at times? Let’s be honest. Sometimes we don’t need to see a bottomless pit of celebrities posing on the beach or Suzanne from work’s never-ending rant about politics.
The internet controls our emotions, good or bad. Wouldn’t it be more refreshing to log on to our apps and see quotes that uplift us, videos that make us laugh, and stories that inspire us to work harder? Of course, we aren’t in control of everything that pops up in our devices but you’ll put yourself at a greater advantage by unfollowing ( or muting) the accounts that bring up negative emotions.
Here’s some affirmation inspiration for your phone app organization: 100 Positive Affirmations For Creativity To Inspire Creative Ideas
DAY 3
TASK : Ditch the devices before bedtime
INSTEAD: Make this a time of reconnection with yourself / partner
Have you ever slept for around 8-9 hours and woke up still feeling tired?
This is because of the lack of quality sleep you might be getting and melatonin ( which helps your body to efficiently go through your sleep cycles) plays a massive part in that. In fact, every moment we spend on our devices our melatonin production is suppressed by 30 minutes! I’m not telling you to ditch your evening TV show if that’s what you love to do but try to get at least 30 minutes without your phone before bed and see if you have any positive results. I find my phone free time is the perfect time to reconnect with my partner after a long day, or just sit and clear my mind.
DAY 4
TASK: Bored? Don’t automatically reach for phone
INSTEAD: Think back to your childhood creativity. What things can you imagine in the moment to fill up your time up?
Do you remember the times you were bored as kid and had to make up your own fun? Suddenly, the world around you opened up your own new magical fantasy world, where anything could happen. Let’s bring back that creative exploration!
In fact, several studies like the NPR research has shown that boredom fosters creativity. At first, you might be staring at your wall not knowing what to do with yourself. Just allow yourself to be without judgment. Creativity is like a muscle and if we continue to exercise it then we invite that childlike imagination back in our lives.
Related : The Go To Creative Guide When Life Gets Boring
DAY 5
TASK: Turn off notifications
Instead: Start that project you’ve been meaning to
Have you ever been in the best creative flow state and suddenly “ beep!” your phone goes off distracting you even if it’s just for a second. You might even reply to that text really quick and back go back to work but suddenly feel a bit thrown off of your flow. Simple trick? Turn off notifications! Even if it’s just for the hour you really need to get something done, I promise you’ll be more productive with the less distraction.
DAY 6
TASK: Only have one tab open at a time
INSTEAD: Ditch the multi tasking & focus on purely on thing at time
“It’s about knowing your strengths and limitations. We all have tremendous capacities to focus and pay attention, but it’s about knowing that certain environments enable those abilities and certain environments undermine and destroy those abilities.
Hari
Did you know that we can only think about 1-2 two things at a time? In fact, research shows that it takes significant time to regain focus after an interruption. I know that if I only have one tab on then I don’t have the temptation to go over to Instagram, or check a random email. I can truly use my time wisely and efficiently.
DAY 7
TASK : Leave phone at home / locked away during an outing
INSTEAD : Have a “me day” ( not sure what to do?) check out Why You Need To Go On An Artist Day (Even if you don’t consider you’re an artist!)
I’ll admit that this one was the hardest for me to do! But it makes you realize how we can easily use our devices to disengage from the present moment without even realizing it. As an introvert, it’s even harder to not have your phone as a “support” with you on an outing. Although, this is the perfect approach for exercising our creativity because being present with the people around us helps unlocks new perspectives and ideas we might have never considered before.
Let me know how the digital detox challenge goes for you!
Until next time,