Digital Detox: A Family Guide to Reclaiming Real Life

My daughter recently attended a tennis camp. On the first day, I watched from the sidelines as a group of 6 to 12-year-olds nervously navigated their new environment and learned the basics of the sport. 

One child in particular caught my attention. While the other kids were starting to chat and warm up to each other, this girl stayed on the periphery, often looking at her phone.

During breaks in the lesson, I noticed she would immediately check her phone — sometimes typing and other times just glancing at it for a few seconds. Despite the beautiful day and the presence of so many eager peers around her, she seemed to remain detached, engrossed in her device rather than engaging with others.

Eventually, she stopped coming to camp altogether. I’m unsure of the exact reasons — perhaps she found tennis or the camp experience wasn’t for her, or maybe there were other personal or family reasons at play. What struck me though, was the contrast between her experience and that of the other kids, who seemed to thrive on interaction and making new friends.

It made me reflect on how challenging it can be to fully engage in new experiences when we are distracted by technology. It’s a reminder of the importance of finding a balance and embracing opportunities to connect with others in person.

It’s not just our relationships that can be affected by the constant influx of notifications, updates from social media apps, and online engagements. Studies have shown that these distractions can have detrimental effects on our mental health as well. 

The concept of a “digital detox” offers a compelling remedy to this overexposure, especially for families grappling with the challenges of technology addiction.

What is a Digital Detox?

A digital detox is a period during which an individual deliberately reduces or eliminates their use of digital devices, such as smartphones, computers, and social media. This practice aims to reduce screen time, alleviate stress, and improve overall well-being by encouraging people to reconnect with the physical world and engage in offline activities.

The Risks of Digital Device Addiction

Before diving into the benefits and strategies for a digital detox, it’s important to understand the potential dangers of excessive mobile device use.

1. Mental Health Issues: Studies have linked heavy device use with increased rates of anxiety, depression, and stress. The constant barrage of notifications and social comparisons can create a sense of inadequacy and perpetual stress.
2. Impaired Relationships: Devices can act as barriers to meaningful face-to-face interactions. Families may find themselves in the same room, yet emotionally distant, as everyone is engrossed in their screens.
3. Sleep Disruption: The blue light emitted by screens interferes with our circadian rhythms, making it harder to fall asleep and reducing the quality of rest.
4. Eye Strain: Looking at screens for too long can cause eye strain, which can lead to discomfort, headaches, and long-term vision issues, making it important to take regular breaks and reduce time spent on screens to protect eye health.
5. Reduced Productivity: Continuous interruptions from devices can fragment attention spans and decrease overall productivity.

The Collective vs. Individual Action Problem

As discussed by Jonathan Haidt in The Anxious Generation, one of the major challenges of digital detox is the collective vs. individual action problem. 

When only one person in a social circle or family undertakes a detox, they might struggle with isolation or feel pressured to revert to old habits due to their environment. For example, face-to-face interaction is crucial for adolescents but taking a phone from your teen won’t accomplish much if all their friends just spend the evening looking at their own phones even if they do meet up in-person.

For a digital detox to be truly effective, it requires a communal effort. When families, friend groups, or even larger communities band together to form healthier digital habits it makes it easier for every individual in that group to do so.

Steps to Digital Detox 

A successful digital detox involves more than just taking breaks from technology — it requires a collective commitment and structured approach to help your family unplug and reconnect. If family members have become dependent on devices for entertainment or emotional stimuli, taking that away will create a vacuum that needs to be filled with something.

1. Set Clear Goals

Start by defining what you hope to achieve with your digital detox. Goals might include improved family communication, better sleep, or reducing the amount of time spent on screens. Make sure these goals are specific and agreed upon by all family members.

2. Create a Digital Detox Plan

A digital detox can look different for each person. You can start by evaluating the areas where you are struggling and set goals based on that. Some examples include:

• Digital fast: Disconnect from all digital devices for a set period, like a day or even a week.
• Regular digital breaks: Designate one day each week to unplug from all devices.
• Targeted detox: If a particular app, website, game, or tool is consuming too much of your time, focus on limiting or eliminating its use.
• Social media cleanse: Temporarily reduce or completely stop using social media for a defined period.

Develop a structured plan that includes:

• Tech Free Zones: Designate areas in your home where devices are not allowed, such as at the dinner table or bedrooms.
• Tech Free Times: Establish specific times to leave your phone behind, like during family meals or an hour before bedtime.
• Scheduled Breaks: Plan regular digital detox days, weekends, weeks, or even longer where the whole family commits to reduced screen time.

3. Involve the Whole Family

Encourage each family member to participate in the detox. Having collective buy-in is helpful, as it creates a supportive environment and reduces feelings of isolation. Engage children in the process by discussing the reasons for the detox and how it will benefit everyone. If one person puts their phone away but looks around to see everyone else in the family staring at their own phones then it’s unlikely to work.

4. Offer Alternatives

Replace screen time with engaging offline activities. Organize family games, outdoor activities, or creative projects to fill the period of time previously spent on devices. This helps to create new routines and strengthens family bonds.

5. Lead by Example

Parents should model the behavior they wish to see. If adults are not adhering to the detox rules, it’s less likely that children will follow suit. Demonstrating commitment to the detox will reinforce its importance and effectiveness.

6. Monitor and Adjust

Track your progress and assess the impact of the detox. Open discussions about how the detox is affecting each family member can help identify what’s working and what might need adjustment. Flexibility is key to making the detox sustainable.

7. Encourage Broader Social Change

While a family digital detox is beneficial, it’s also important to advocate for broader social change. Encourage friends, extended family, and community groups to join in or consider similar practices. The more widespread the detox effort, the more likely it is to create lasting changes in social norms around device use.

In an article for The Times, the author recounts an experiment where she removed smartphones from her sons and got some of their friends to do the same. The kids initially struggled but eventually thrived, enjoying more face-to-face interactions and outdoor activities, including a camping trip without parents. The experience showed that unplugging from technology can improve social interactions and overall happiness.

How Long Should You Digitally Detox?

Research doesn’t show a specific amount of time to detox from tech. It can depend on your attachment to tech and how much time you might need to detach. Even just 30 minutes a day for an intentional break can improve your life satisfaction by reducing screen-related stress and improving mental well-being. Consistent breaks from screens help you reconnect with offline activities and enhance your overall quality of life.

Do Digital Detoxes Actually Work?

Yes, digital detoxes have been shown to be effective in reducing stress, improving mental well-being, and increasing focus. Several journal studies highlight the benefits of a digital detox such as improved sleep quality, better mood regulation, better life balance, and decreased feelings of anxiety and depression when participants reduced their screen time or abstained from digital devices for short periods.

At the end of the last school year I told my kids we would have a screen-free summer. They were hesitant at first, but were quickly on board when I explained that we would replace screens with extra outdoor activities like hiking, splash pads, swimming, and playing with friends. 

This wasn’t a spur of the moment decision. I had noticed over the previous weeks that my kids were spending too much time on screens, and their moods were negatively affected. They were grumpier, fought more with each other, and complained frequently.

While we all understand that screen time isn’t ideal, it often serves as a convenient distraction. It’s tempting to put on a show for the kids to give ourselves a break. If you have to do this occasionally, don’t beat yourself up. But with some planning, parents can create healthier habits that keep kids engaged in more meaningful activities. With time and patience, screen-free activities can become our new go-tos.

Our summer plans didn’t exactly go according to plan. While I had prepared to be extra active together, morning sickness got the best of me and I spent a huge chunk of the summer too sick to leave the house.

However, even though I wasn’t able to take them on all the adventures I had planned, my kids took our screen free summer seriously. They constantly played outside with friends (and I had peace of mind knowing they were just a call away with their Gabb watches). 

When friends weren’t available to play, they found other activities around the house — art projects, lego creations, and actually playing with their toys. They learned new sports, read books, and became better friends with each other. Most importantly, there was less fighting and more smiles all around. It was a successful, though not perfect, summer. 

Kids are more creative than we often realize. When we take away screens, they naturally find other ways to entertain themselves. 

Discussing the idea of unplugging with my children sparked their freedom and creativity. Screen-free activities quickly became a regular part of our daily routine, and even with the start of school, this new normal has persisted. 

The key was approaching it as a family activity rather than an individual endeavor, and pointing out the positive effects on our moods and relationships. 

Devices like Gabb phones can be a great solution for managing screen addiction, as they offer essential features without the distractions of social media, games, or other time-consuming apps. By limiting access to these digital temptations, Gabb phones help users stay connected while promoting healthier digital habits and reducing the urge to mindlessly scroll or engage in excessive screen time.

Has your family participated in a digital detox? Did you notice any differences in your moods and relationships? Share your stories in the comments.

Author Jackie Baucom

Jackie is a Gabb staff writer. She is the mother of four children and is passionate about keeping kids safe, happy, loved, and thriving. She has a degree in Mass Communication from the University of Utah.

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