We must all be familiar with a popular TV show called Bigg Boss. The contestants in the show are constantly watched and controlled by a big boss. But do you realize there is also a big boss in your life? I am not talking about your wife or your boss at the office. I am talking about your mobile phone. Do you think you are controlling it? or it is controlling you? You might claim that it is just a gadget, but continue reading and I am sure you will accept that you might just be a slave of electronic gadgets around you.
Digital Detoxification
Detoxification is a type of treatment where all the toxins present in your body will be released from your system.
Detoxification means removing the toxins.
Have you ever heard about Digital detoxification?
It is also a type of therapy or treatment where digital toxins in your life will be removed, and you will be exposed to reality or real life.
What part of your activity consumes most of your time? Just a couple of decades back most people would have claimed “Sleep”. But the answer is totally different now. We spend most of our time in a day on gadgets and electronic devices are the truth. We have become addicted to gadgets either unconsciously or due to compulsion.
You can convince yourself that you are not addicted to electronic gadgets; but can you spend a single day without using any of it? There will be many changes in thinking and working pattern of people who are addicted to gadgets. For example.
- Lack of focus on work.
- Anxiety and stress.
- Irritation in the eyes.
- Regular headaches.
- Mental problems.
- Spending very little time in real world.
- Constant feeling of restlessness.
- Digital detox will help you to relieve yourself from abnormal obsession over gadgets.
What will Digital Detox do?
It will help you to get liberated from all the problems that occur due to gadgets. It will bring about a big change in your daily activities and at work. The excess time you spend over gadgets will be converted to more meaningful time you spend with your friends, family, kids, and in reality.
What should you do?
The main part of this program is, how long you want to stay out of using electronic gadgets. You should spend a minimum of 24 to 72 hours staying away from your gadgets. It is your personal wish if you want to stay away even longer. The only thing you need to do to get started is by switching off your mobile, tablet, TV, laptop, computer and whatever electronic gadgets you own. It might sound easy as you read this. But, it is quite a difficult task. Because as you switch off your phone, you will have all sorts of questions like “what if there is an emergency call?” “What if someone from the office calls me?” etc. Even though there is no mobile in your pocket, you will have a feeling of having one. You will feel like your mobile phone is ringing and vibrating. We call this as “Phantom vibration syndrome”. Many times in a day you would want to visit Facebook, watch TV, check out some sites on the internet, but you need to have the will power to say no to these things.
Enjoy and Experience everything
You have all other options open in front you other than gadgets. So, spend time with your friends, wife, family, relatives, and strengthen your bonds with them. Exercise, travel, read a book, play some sport, have a good sleep, these things will definitely bring about a big change in your life. You will slowly start to taste the fruit of freedom you achieved from gadgets.
What will happens after Digital Detoxification?
You will have a lot of notifications, emails, missed calls. But focus and act on only important aspects of it. Apart from it make some changes in the way you handle electronic gadgets. For example, make it a point, not to use laptops in your bedroom, avoid using mobile phones inside dining hall or while eating. Condition yourself. Have restrictions on time you spend on your favorite social media, and websites. Block and filter out the useless emails reaching your inbox. Digital detox is your freedom, so you can practice it anytime you like. Your freedom is in your hands.
Make a note on 5-C’s
Commonly you can figure out if a person is addicted to electronic gadgets or not by using these 5-C’s. So what are those? Craving, Control, Coping, Compulsion, and Consequences. Craving to use the gadget, not being able to control your desire to use the gadget, coping with the problems that occur due to its use, using the gadgets out of compulsion, and facing the consequences with gadgets itself. If these 5-C’s are appropriate for you, then you are addicted to electronic devices.
Children aged between 12 to 19 years are mostly affected by this problem. Kids between 14 to 19 years old need some kind of help to get out of it. As far as the internet is concerned, social media sites, gaming, searching information, pornography are the major reasons for its addiction. Most people get addicted to these things.
What are the problems?
- Lack of focus in studies and at work.
- Social media sites trigger a lot of emotions, so it affects the sleep, food and sleeping habits.
There are many ways to get out of it.
Firstly we need to accept the truth that we are addicted to it. After realizing the truth, you should seek out for the right help to come out of it. There should not be any second thoughts about it. Digital detoxification helps you with this.
What is the role of Digital Detoxing?
- Digital detoxing will help to have a healthy relationship with electronic gadgets.
- Not using gadgets while getting to sleep.
- Spending right amount of time using them.
- If it so happens that you have to use these gadgets for a longer duration, then taking breaks in-between.
- Sleeping late at night due to gadgets usage will be prevented.
- Increase in the time you spend with real people in real world.
- Reading, playing with kids, having a fun chat and other real wordy things will be improved.
These kinds of habits will be greatly enriched by digital detoxification.