It is worrying to admit that I have been on average between five and six hours of screen time in recent weeks. Although not everything has been insane rolling (although much has), the numbers are not: A 2024 Pew Research Center Study survey Almost 6,000 American adults found that nine out of ten go online every day, with four out of ten admits that they are online almost constantly. (Guilty.) As the screen time increases globally, it is understandable that people try to cut down. But I speak from experience when I say it’s not as simple as just putting down the phone.
You have probably heard the terms “digital detox” and “detox tourism”: the concept of cutting down, disconnecting or digital devices entirely on vacation. As demand grows, more properties and tour operators have started offering technology-free travel-it even got a nick in Season three premiere of “The White Lotus.” But while I would love to give it a glowing review, unfortunately I can’t.
Last year I was invited to a week -long Wellness retreat on Rancho La Puerta In Baja California, Mexico. After a rough travel day, all worries disappeared as they entered the luxurious and calm property of 4,000 acres. Our days usually started with a sunrise walk, and from there guests were left to choose from over 50 different fitness and wellness classes. Everything took care of: nourishing meals, entertainment and comfortable accommodation. There was only one rule: no units in common areas, including outdoor walk tracks, with phones and laptops just for use in the limited designated areas around the property.
The rule was not a shock – I knew about it before I arrived – but I was honestly nervous about if I could stick to it. As a freelancer, me Almost never beat my Office messageEven on vacation, if a work opportunity occurs. But after the first day I realized that I had no choice. Without reception in our rooms, Wi-Fi only in the designated hubs and a full schedule, there was hardly any time for emails, texts or social media. The pure structure of the retreat maintained the detox, and I was happily handing over to it.
The digital detox I originally feared turned out to be a breeze, and I loved to be disconnected and live in a bubble. For the first time since I was 12 I fell asleep without watching TV or videos, and despite my usual insomnia I was falls into a deep, restful sleep almost immediately. Before I knew it, the seven days had been flying by and I would have done almost anything to have stayed longer. See, while I thought the difficult part would turn off my devices, it wasn’t; It returned to society and its relentless connection.
For weeks after the retreat, my ooo stopped, even though I was home with plenty of time to bring my inbox back to zero. I avoided lyrics and social media, and while my mom heard from me here and there, my friends wondered if I disappeared from the earth’s face. The only person who really heard from me was my therapist. (I am very aware of how happy and privileged I was to have that support.)
The idea of returning to the digital world somehow just skyrocketed my anxiety. It was not only the large volume of missed updates, but the importance of catching up that felt overwhelming. It is important to note that my personal life was also a bit of a riot during that time, and I know that the unprocessed emotions are added to stress and anxiety. To avoid everything and everyone felt easier, but also aggravated the emotions because it created a vicious circle of avoidance and installation of anxiety.
In my avoidance, I Detected crochetMy unexpected blessing. When I sought a way to stay busy without judge cabinetIt quickly became my favorite activity and creative outlet. It was a conscious activity that really helped to limit my anxiety at its peak by letting me re -focus on a new task in the present.
As my current screen time statistics clarify, but my old digital habits eventually caught up and I returned to my old ways. It may not have been immediately, but I find it interesting that even after the deep impact of the digital detox, my usual behavior online crawled back without any changes. Here’s the thing: I don’t think a three-day, seven days or even 14-day detox is enough to carry out long-term habits.
A study from National Library of Medicine Suggest that it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit, and habit formation depends on texture. When I think about it, the retreat made it easy because I was constantly busy, but when the news had gone off and I returned to my routine, so did my old habits. Similarly, Research also shows That we use smartphones more on weekdays than weekends. On weekends we are busy, whether it is to socialize, run cases or catch up with chores. We do not need the distraction and do not have much opportunity to consciously do.
A digital detox is not a cure, nor will it write about our relationship with technology. It is a test – not only of willpower, but by what happens when we silence the noise from what we long for, what we resist and what we are relieved to leave behind. And although I would not necessarily want to relive the anxiety that followed that retreat, I give the credit to show myself that to go away is possible.
Annita Katee (She/her) is a lifestyle writer and editor who covers health, wellness, beauty, travel, DIY and more. She has had editorial roles at the Daily Mail and Sydney Morning Herald and has written for Travel + Leisure, Well + Good, Lonely Planet, Business Insider, Domino Magazine and Apartment Therapy, among others.
