Have you ever designated a chunk of time out of your life where you are completely unplugged? Phone off, laptop closed, distractions reduced, just to be with yourself?
Until my first trip to Thailand in 2024, where I floated on a raft in the middle of a river in the jungle for 10 days, far away from WiFi and cell reception, I hadn't done this in years. This most recent trip to Thailand, where one individual happened to have purchased a Sim Card for her cellphone at the Bangkok Airport and found that she had 1 bar of cell reception on our jungle retreat, demonstrated the powerful addiction that we have to our phones (she couldn't help but make phone calls, check for texts, etc, despite our collective agreement to be on a Digital Detox). It struck me: where on this planet can we escape the bombardment of EMFs? And why is it so hard for us to unplug?
Years ago, I'd worked as a wrangler guiding horse pack trips into the Colorado backcountry, and would go for 5 days without a connection, sleeping in a tent or under the stars -- and now, backcountry travel rarely deprives us of cell data like it did 15 years ago.
The implications of doing a conscious Digital Detox are nothing short of life-changing.
REWIRED
The fact that we need to do this -- to actually designate or schedule time away from our electronic devices -- is another conversation in itself -- our devices are rewiring our brains and nervous systems by design, and it is essential for us to cultivate awareness around the implications of this reality. It's a slippery slope that warrants our attention.
The impacts of a Digital Detox (even if you do it for one single day, or even just an hour!) can be profound, and a prolonged un-plug, while initially very challenging for some people, is deeply healing for the nervous system, for physical, and for mental health.
BLUE LIGHT TOXICITY
The blue light emitted from our screens is reason enough: depleting dopamine, sapping melatonin, draining our energy and making us depressed.
BENEFITS BEYOND
But the benefits of unplugging go far beyond decreasing obesity and improving mood; we have the opportunity to re-learn how to connect with one another and ourselves. We have the chance to face the discomfort of what drives us toward our phone addictions -- to transmute and heal it.
MAKING THE UNCONSCIOUS CONSCIOUS
You might consider asking yourself: Am I addicted to my phone?
Chances are if you leave your phone at home for a day, you'd unconsciously reach for it more times than you're aware of. Try it and see.
Check your Screen Time and track how many hours you spend looking at your device.
Shut your computer off during your lunch breaks.
Set a bedtime timer 2 hours prior to getting under the covers: no television, no cell phones, no laptop.
TAKE A DIGITAL DETOX CHALLENGE!
Take the challenge and consciously un-plug for 1 hour every day. Turn your screens OFF at least 2 hours prior to getting into bed.
Maybe the whole family gets involved.
... or maybe you're up for an entire day -- or weekend -- of Digital Detox.
THE WORLD IS READY!
The world is ready for us to really un-hook from the programming and wake up to our lives and our authentic selves. When we create space rather than fill it with scrolling our phones or answering our e-mails in bed, we might be surprised by what inner knowing we connect to and what wisdom comes through ...
I would love to hear your experiences with exploring a Digital Detox. Reply to this post with what you notice when you take the challenge.
MORE TIPS FOR A HEALTHY LIFE Watch this series on YouTube for additional pro-wellness tips and recommendations.
RESOURCES CITED
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