Unplugging from technology might sound drastic, but it’s one of the most powerful things we can do right now to build a calmer life and live more intentionally. Every day, technology quietly demands more of your time, attention, and energy than you realize. Slowing down and stepping away from screens is essential if you want to simplify your life and protect your well-being.
Let’s talk about how living a little more unplugged can truly change the way you feel about your days. We’ll also discuss a simple digital detox plan to reduce excessive tech use.
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The Real Impact of Tech Overload on Your Life
That device in your pocket or sitting on your desk holds so much potential – connection, information, entertainment. But let’s be honest, technology has a sneaky way of creeping into every moment. You pick up your phone to check the time, and twenty minutes later, you’re deep into three apps, two comment threads about something you don’t really even care about, and somehow adding items to a cart you never meant to shop from. Sound familiar?
Did you know the average person spends nearly 11 hours a day connected to technology? (That statistic is several years old… I suspect the number is higher now.) You might not think you spend that much time connected. But think about it – you’re reading this blog post on a piece of tech, and how long did you spend online before this?
Hey, I’m right there with you! I work online, I love Pinterest, and without Facebook or online videos I wouldn’t know what half of my friends and family even looks like these days. And my digital streaming list? Well, let’s just say I’ll never run out of programs to watch or things to listen to.
But as great as those things are, there’s a side of technology that’s destroying us. Our growing addiction is separating us from our loved ones, even when we’re sitting right next to them. We sleep less, we get less done, and we’re becoming an increasingly perfectionist society, always feeling like we’re never quite doing enough.
Even if you think you’re not ‘one of those people,’ it’s likely that a regular digital detox could still bring real benefits to your life. Constant connection to the internet and social media can leave you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and disconnected from real-world relationships. It’s not just about the hours you spend online – it’s about how those hours pull you away from living fully and intentionally. And once you step back, it’s amazing to remember there really is a difference.
8 Reasons You Need a Digital Detox
So many great things can happen when you turn off the tech… whether it’s for an hour, a day, or a weekend. Here are some of the biggest benefits of unplugging from technology that I’ve seen:
1. Increase Your Productivity: Distractions are your biggest enemy when it comes to getting your work done. Every ding, beep, popup, and message notification sucks precious moments from your day.
Taking a screen time break helps you finally tackle that offline list you’ve been avoiding. You’ll find that projects that used to feel overwhelming begin to feel more manageable. When you unplug from the internet, even temporarily, you give your brain space to concentrate, leading to a more productive lifestyle and better time management.
2. Improve Your Personal Connections: Turning off the tech helps you become a better communicator. I’m not saying you have to sit down and hand-write a 10-page letter to your distant cousin every week. I’m talking about spending REAL time with the people near you.
When you unplug from technology, conversations become deeper, eye contact becomes normal again, and relationships grow stronger. Creating a device-free zone during meals or family time helps you be fully present with the people who matter most.
3. Jump-Start Your Creativity: Staring at a screen isn’t always the best way to spark new ideas. Sometimes, stepping away, maybe even grabbing a pen and paper, lets different thoughts flow. Unplugging for a while can be surprisingly fruitful for creativity.
There’s a different kind of energy that flows when you aren’t distracted by endless scrolling. While stream-of-consciousness typing can unlock thoughts and get crap out of your head, you could also try mind-mapping on paper. Whether it’s doodling in a notebook or writing thoughts by hand, you’ll usually discover that offline living gives creativity the breathing room it craves.
4. Get More Sleep: Come on, admit it, if you’re like most people, you’ve stayed up late far too often watching ‘just one more’ episode on Netflix. Along with that, scrolling social media ‘for just a few minutes’ at night almost guarantees less sleep.
Unplugging for a while before bedtime helps your mind slow down so you can actually rest. My completely unscientific observation is that when I set a time to turn off my phone and laptop – and the TV – I go to bed about 60-90 minutes earlier and sleep better because my mind isn’t still processing everything I just looked at. Better sleep is fundamental self care.
5. Discover Mono-Tasking — With so much tech, we think we can do everything at once. But we shouldn’t. Multitasking feels productive, but it’s really just a distraction trap. Choosing an unplugged evening to work on one task at a time can help you actually finish the projects you start.
6. Stop the Comparison Spiral: Nobody needs to constantly look at impossibly perfect photos of other people’s lives. Just like ‘reality’ television, there’s likely very little of it that’s ‘real.’
Taking a break from social media helps you stop comparing your real life to curated highlight reels. Unplugging from social media allows you to find more joy in your own experiences without constantly measuring them against someone else’s. Save yourself some emotional stress and and create more calm by taking a BIG step back.
7. Expand Your Life Satisfaction: It’s much easier to appreciate small moments or jot down things you’re thankful for when you aren’t constantly distracted. Unplugging from the world occasionally and building minimalist tech habits helps you notice the good stuff right in front of you and maybe even have more time to romanticize your life a little. It’s a step toward finding your best self and cultivating your dream life.
8. Decrease Overwhelm and Mental Clutter: Even though we often resort to scrolling online as an escape from all the things we think we ‘should’ be doing, it doesn’t really work. In the end, we just end up procrastinating, making our to-do list even longer, and adding to the clutter in our head.
Turning off the tech creates space to center your thoughts and focus on what’s genuinely important, helping you simplify your life. There’s peace in living more slowly and thoughtfully with a slow living movement mindset. Even if you don’t care to commit fully, the mindset still aligns beautifully with finding your soft life and embracing soft calm… which feels REALLY good when you’ve been living every day in a constant state of overwhelm.
5 Steps to Unplug From Technology
Learning how to unplug from technology doesn’t have to mean giving it up entirely. Instead, think about setting yourself up for a healthier relationship with it, more like mindful technology use. To be honest, it will probably feel a little weird at first, but stick with it… the calm does come with practice.
Ready to give it a try? Starting your digital detox doesn’t have to be dramatic. Here are some practical ways to begin:
1. Decide Your Goal: Think about what you want to achieve. Total detox? Social media only? Television only? No-tech weekends? Family game night once or twice a week?
The first step toward a calmer, more satisfying life is simple: turn something off. One app. One device. One evening. Choose just one small way to start unplugging from technology today, like turning off tech an hour before bedtime.
2. Make the Commitment: Saying you have a goal is one thing, committing and DOING it is more difficult. But you absolutely have to commit if you’re ever going to make anything happen.
Consider getting the entire family on board. This may be easier said than done, but it IS possible since you’re the adult with control of the modem/router and cell phones. However, it’s not absolutely necessary to have everyone involved. Taking care of yourself first — doing a personal detox — is absolutely fine.
3. Set Boundaries Like You Mean It: Set some rules and maybe even write them down. If you’ll be unavailable via email or messaging during certain times, let people know. If you plan to be offline one day a week or every weekend, communicate that clearly. Make your schedule known, so people don’t worry or get upset. The clearer your boundaries are, and the more consistently you stick to them, the sooner others will adjust.
In our empty-nest home, one boundary we have that my husband and I both agreed to: No smartphones, computers, or TV in the bedroom. Yep, for real. We have a regular alarm clock to wake us up. (That said, I do take my kindle to bed so I can read for 10 minutes or so without keeping my husband awake, but it’s not connected to the internet. I know, I know… not ideal, but there it is.)
I know this ‘no smartphone in the bedroom’ idea might not work for everyone if you absolutely must be reachable at all hours. But if that’s the case, at LEAST set your phone so the ONLY noise it makes is calls from important numbers and the alarm. Also, set it up on the other side of the room so you don’t just pick it up and start scrolling first thing in the morning. Get up and get moving instead.
4. Take Social Media and Email Apps Off Your Phone: Sound drastic? Just give it a try. You can always install them again if your life feels genuinely worse without them. But I’m betting it won’t. This can be a powerful social media cleanse – really tough at first, but then so very freeing when it becomes ‘normal.’
5. Plan Your Unplugged Activities: Know what you’ll do with your time and hands when you unplug from technology. Idle hands often reach for a phone, it’s become such a reflex that we don’t even think about it. Have some phone-free activities lined up.
8 Fun and Fulfilling Things to Do While Unplugged
When I unplug, I like to reconnect with the things that actually fill me up. The goal is to create more space for yourself – space to think, breathe, and enjoy calm slow living moments. Here are some ideas you can try:
- Pursue your passion or hobby
- Meet a friend for dinner (no phones, no selfies, and no restaurants with televisions)
- Read a book
- Take a walk or sit outside and actually LOOK at things
- Declutter your house
- Talk to your family
- Sit with your thoughts (it’s more difficult than you think, but very rewarding)
- Take time to recharge
5 Ideas for Unplugging Events and Challenges
If you’re feeling ready to take it further, try one of these ideas:
- Plan an unplugged weekend and fill it with nature, reading, and connection.
- Set up an unplugged day each week to reset your mind.
- Make up your own phone detox challenge ideas – like no phone after 7 PM for a month.
- Take a longer technology sabbatical if you’re feeling truly burnt out.
- Book a disconnect vacation somewhere remote and beautiful.
Steps like these really build momentum toward a calmer, more satisfying life.
More Intentional Living Inspiration
11 Simple Ways To Weave Joy And Positivity Into Your Day
Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World – Cal Newport
How to Simplify Your Home For A Slower Life And Guilt-Free Relaxation
An Intentional Life: Five Foundations of Authenticity and Purpose – Lisa Kentgen
10 Simple Habits That Just Might Change Your Life
Final Thoughts and Tips for an Unplugged Lifestyle
Part of the problem with our growing tech addiction is the inability to cope with ANY downtime. Instead of pulling out your phone the next time you’re waiting in line or for an appointment — or heading to the bathroom (come on, admit it) — leave the phone alone. Turn it off if you need to. Learning how to manage tech cravings with patience and persistence makes a real difference.
Reconnect with yourself as a person and with the world around you. Realize it’s okay to do ‘nothing’ at times. Constantly waiting for that next notification on your phone or trying to keep up with what’s happening on a dozen open internet tabs is no way to spend your life. Reinventing yourself starts with letting go of the distractions that pull you away from your true self.
By protecting your time and energy, you’re choosing a different kind of life – one filled with presence, focus, calm, and genuine connection. When you realize that unplugging from technology actually allows you to do MORE with your life, it gets easier to turn everything off just a little earlier every day.
Over time, you’ll naturally build a tech-free lifestyle that feels good instead of extreme. Every small step adds up to a future where you have the opportunity to feel calmer, more focused, and genuinely fulfilled.
Give it a try, and enjoy the results as you work to Build Your Best Life!
You’ve got this!
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You would enjoy reading What Falls From the Sky, a book about a woman who unplugged from everything (!!) for a year!
This is great advice, and one our entire culture needs to read, and consider! TY! #bloggerspitstop xoxo
I am very addicted to my phone with Facebook, e- mails, X, and news. I desperately need to unplug from my phone. I have set a goal to start with cutting down my time three times per week. Will let you know how I do when I can use my phone.