In an era where the world moves fast and notifications constantly pop up, the New Year holiday is a golden opportunity to allow yourself a break from the virtual world. Digital Detox, or reducing screen time, is not about cutting off from the outside world but about "giving time back to yourself" to start the year with a calm and focused mind.
Why start on January 1? Beginning the year with silence helps you hear your own thoughts more clearly, reduces stress from comparing your life to others on social media, and encourages your brain to release happiness chemicals from being present in the moment (Mindfulness).
Try starting with the dining table or bedroom, making them phone-free areas so you can savor your meals and sleep better.
Try disabling notifications from apps that often consume your time, such as shopping or gaming apps, keeping only those that are truly necessary.
Instead of watching others travel through your screen, put down your phone and go for a walk in the park, read a book you've been putting off, or have a face-to-face conversation with family members.
Use your phone’s features to limit social media app usage starting from day one of the year to build new discipline for yourself.
This New Year, try giving yourself the gift of "turning off" the screen to "open" the chance for your mind to rest. You'll find that a world without filters is more beautiful than you imagined.