I have been thinking a lot about the time that I spend with my mobile, laptop, iPad, PC and any other digital device!! We are in an era where everybody communicates with each other at any time through these devices! Even when you go out for dinner with family or friends, you are probably half the time looking at emails, checking the latest stories on Facebook, what is the latest great photo in Instagram, what is trending on Twitter or chatting in WhatsApp. Of course, we just want to share what we are doing, and show what a cool fun time we are having instead of just enjoying the moment with our family or friends.
This is probably something very ironic coming from me because I need to have a balance in order to survive as a blogger. The reality is that from time to time we really need to stop and perhaps think about what are we doing. Sometimes I feel like my life has become totally dependent on technology!! I honestly think that I need to take my mobile everywhere and I need to check my mobile everywhere too!!
There have been times where I thought I lost my mobile because I couldn’t find it and I was feeling like my life was destroyed. Yes, I felt broken! How sad is that? I’m sure this is not just my feeling. I’m sure there are a lot of people out there feeling the same way as me!! Being a blogger is a passion for me, it’s something that makes me happy gives me a lot of motivation, I want more every day and I want to reach new goals every day too. However, this feeling sometimes is a little bit too much. I think I need to rest from time to time, give my body some fresh air and try to be surrounded by nature.
What am I talking about? I’m talking about having a digital detox. So, what is this? According to Wikipedia, this “refers to a period of time during which a person refrains from using electronic connecting devices such as smartphones and computers. It is regarded as an opportunity to reduce stress or focus on social interaction in the physical world.” So YES, this is what I need!! 😉
For the first time after 6 intense months of blogging, I have decided to disconnect from my blog. I will have a break for 2 weeks which is the perfect time to enjoy my family during the festive holidays. I really want to have fun with my girls and get the most of the time that we are all together as a family.
I found some interesting facts about our technology habits. Did you know that:
- UK adults spend an average of 8 hours 41 minutes a day on screens (more time than they are asleep).
- UK children spend 6 1/2 hours a day on screens.
- The average user logs 1.72 hours a day on social media alone.
- And checks their smartphone 150 times a day.
- Half of all UK adults admit to being ‘completely hooked‘ on their smartphones, emphasising the need for a regular digital detox.
- 80% of smartphone users say checking their phone is the first thing they do in the morning.
- 66% of UK smartphone owners in a study self-reported suffering from ‘nomophobia’, the fear of losing or being without their phones at any given time – obsessively checking to make sure they have their phone with them, and constantly worrying about losing it somewhere.
- The first inpatient facility for treating internet addiction in the US opened in 2013. China has opened 300 teenage bootcamps imposing a strict digital detox to deal with increasing problems of teen internet addiction.
These figures are incredible right? I was amazed when I read this information! I also googled about digital detox and I found that there are places where you can go, to basically forget about everything and just relax! As soon as you arrive you start this process of handing-in’ your phone, tablet, laptop, Fitbit’s, kindles, game consoles and any digital device with a screen. They keep all your digital gadgets safe for you until it’s time to leave. These places are retreats that are normally located in areas of outstanding natural beauty like in Hawaii for example. Who wouldn’t like to go there? I certainly would love to go there and disconnect completely from the real word and reconnect with myself and nature again. All of that for one week!! How wonderful would that be?
One way of getting into that zone is by doing yoga. I have actually never done Yoga before but it is something that I’m willing to try. If you’re looking for yoga retreats in Hawaii for example, could be the perfect destination. With white sandy beaches to mountain terrain with 2,700 acres of open green space scattered with coconut trees, monkey pods and rare plant species, it’s a place where you can enjoy yoga, surfing and hiking while experiencing the local culture and history on this digital detox, surfing and yoga holiday, an altogether truly special place. How amazing is that? I love the sound of that, it sounds like heaven!! 😉
From now I will be enjoying my 2-week break. I plan to try to disconnect as much as I can. I don’t know if I will stop dealing with my social media 100% but I certainly would like to get some time off!
Have you ever done a Digital Detox? Would you go to a yoga retreat or a natural retreat and hand over all of your devices?
*Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post
Thanks for stopping by,
Love you all ❤️
Franca 💋
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I too am slightly addicted. Although I’m still pretty new to blogging I am also ‘hungry’ and have realised that my children are seeing too much of the back of my laptop! Good luck and let us know how it goes xx #KCACOLS
Aw I know how you feel Franca. I am always on my phone and on my laptop and probably could do with a few weeks off from technology and social media. I do love a scroll through Twitter, Facebook and Bloglovin’ though and probably would find it hard. Lol. Great post #KCACOLS
I love these type of posts from you, always so informative and full of things I didn’t know. Thank you. And thank you for hosting the ever fab #KCACOLS
Nadia – ScandiMummy xx
Good idea – hope you enjoy the break! I wasn’t too worried about it before blogging, as rarely on computer & fb was only social media I used, & only for odd status update, hardly used emails. Now I’m on everything all the time! #KCACOLS
For a whle I did this every Sunday and I found it very helpful to have a break. It was a long day though 😉 #KCACOLS
The numbers seem crazy but true! I’ve been thinking about my own use of the laptop & phone. It’d be hard to blog without those things but they can take up a big part of my day. A digital detox sounds like a really good idea. We should all take them from time to time. I had a week without internet for a cruise & I felt like I was in withdrawal for the first couple days but then settled into it& really enjoyed the time off! #KCACOLS x
Love this! I SO need a digital detox, I spend far too much time on my phone especially! I’m always reading something on there or playing a game or nosying on FB, Twitter or Instagram. I’m going to make a conscious effort to spend less time doing those things, it’s just habit more than anything! Thanks for hosting!
Totally agree Franca. It is particularly difficult when blogging to be without the phone or PC. Also, never wanting to miss a call from the school ensures our eye is constantly on the phone. Like you, I have been trying very hard to give the gadgets a rest. It is hard because most of our lives rely on email communication, texts and doing things online. I’m particularly strict about this when it’s family and social time and I do also find that I really need a break from it. I get very heavy headed at times and for this reason alone I like to have a break from it. I also panic if I’m without the phone. Crazy really but true for most of us #KCACOLS
Hope you enjoyed your digital detox! I admit I’m slightly addicted, but also quite limited in my “screen time” since I currently don’t have a smart phone, the only device I have is my iPad (I would be a bit lost without it, though!). Also, since I work in kindergarten, most of the day at work I don’t have the time or opportunity to do anything digital! What I do need to do is make better, more productive use of the time I do spend online! #KCACOLS
This is such an important topic and I really need to take this advice myself! I do feel completely addicted to my phone and it IS the first thing I do in the morning a lot of the time. I often think this can’t be good for us. Those figures are incredible!
I love blogging too and I’m spending a great deal of time at the moment actively building and growing my blog but I think I will definitely need a detox soon.
Thanks for sharing x #kcacols
I had about five weeks off blogging last year – three in the summer and two at Christmas. I knew I wouldn’t have time or the internet connection to blog so I didn’t. I was refreshing. However, I did look at my social media and emails A LOT when I had a phone signal, so I was cheating a bit! 🙂 #KCACOLS
Franca, im so glad you wrote this post about your experience. Its so true about achieving a balance when you blog and have a family. It is all too easy, with such easy and constant access to everything to get completely sucked in and distracted by the digital world. I hate myself when I sometimes become obsessed with blogging rather than enjoying time with my family, becuase I find it so ironic – I blog about family life, yet dont always make the most of the time I have with them. This is such a great post to share to remind us all not to get too distracted and obsessed with it all, all of the time :-). Emily #KCACOLS
Hope you enjoyed your detox! You deserve it – you work so hard at making this blog fantastic! I’m not sure I could cope without Twitter haha! #KCACOLS
Wow a digital detox sounds like heaven! I’m always getting told off by the other half for spending way too much time on my phone! Blogging is great because it’s not 9-5, but also that can have drawbacks as is encroaches on family time. Those retrests in hawaii look incredible, would love to go there xx #KCACOLS
Hey Franca. This post is so relevant for me this week. I definitely have a social media addiction of some kind and this weekend I deactivated my facebook and deleted all my social media apps off my phone. I lasted 3 days. I feel so much pressure to stay on them all in case I miss anything. Suffering with anxiety doesn’t make life away from social media any easier. And also starting the blog adds a whole other level of pressure into the mix.. I hope the two week break helped you, and thanks for highlighting the post again. I am going to seriously consider trying a detox xxx Kathy #KCACOLS
I’m sure I commented on this before, I remember reading it. I hope you’re still reaping the benefits of your break and it’s given you the perspective you needed. I can’t believe how immersive social media can be.
Oooh, I’d join you on a digital detox in Hawaii, definitely! 😀
I spend far too much time on devices, I know I do. But I try to put them away when I can so that I can interact with “real” people and the family.
#KCACOLS
These are indeed shocking stats, but I honestly can’t say I’m surprised. I have seen all to easily, how easy it is to spend far to much time enthralled in technology. This is why I try to cut back on our time in front of tablets, mobiles, laptops and TV. Friday night I make sure I turn my mobile off and spend time snuggled up on the sofa with John. However I would still love to got to one of those resorts you have mentioned and as for yoga I’ve always wanted to give it a go too. xx #KCACOLS
I have commented on this before but just wanted to give you a little wave 🙂 #KCACOLS xx
Interesting post. You probably notice I’ve been commenting non stop on your few post. Still awake at this time being glued on my phone which is not healthy anymore. I think I need a detox as well as this is getting addictive lol I have enjoyed reading lots of your blog post 🙂 Goodnight and god bless xx