We weigh up the positives and negatives to determine whether you should swear off your phone for good
A digital detox involves giving up all electronic devices. No phones and no laptop. It is a designed to reduce stress and bring people back to reality, with a focus on social interaction.
Digital detoxing has become an idealised way of living; a gimmick to get people to spend money on a workshop or a retreat.
Detox retreats have started to boom. Advertised like a spa break, they insist phones are an overarching evil. All of our problems will be solved if we cast aside our phones.
Big tech admitting a problem
With big tech companies like Apple and Google getting behind the digital detox movement, is it really worth it?
Rose La Prairie, product manager of Android Digital Wellbeing at Google, said, “We do a lot of really useful things on our phones but about 70% of people want a better balance.”
Having a better balance is what we aim for here at Project.esc
Refraining from phone use completely is not only unsustainable, it’s inconvenient and pointless. Phones are good. It’s all in the way we use them. Our phones help us read the news, order food, stay in touch, book tickets, get taxis. Their effectiveness for improving our lives outweighs their negatives.
The negative side of tech comes from overuse, trolling, and comparing ourselves to others. All of this can be solved by changing our relationship with our phones. Check out our article on following positive people.
The reality is…
Many digital detoxes are advertised as (ironically) Instagram-aesthetic weekends away from tech. Relaxing at a beachside cabin, enjoying the sound of the waves. Become your inner yoga guru.
That is not reality. A digital detox, although proven to be good for wellbeing can prove stressful when you rely on phones for interaction and organisation. While we shouldn’t overuse our phones, to swear them off completely seems like a step backwards to us here at Project.esc. As an alternative we suggest changing social media routines, perhaps unfollowing accounts, and certainly limiting screen time.
