A few weeks ago, a friend of mine told me that she had found a book called24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week by Tiffany Shlain. The title fascinated me, and thankfully it was available to download from my computer, so I started it that night and finished reading it the next day. As I read the book on Sunday, I determined that I would attempt digital detox on a weekly basis, beginning that day and then continue every Sunday.
I’m already pretty aware of my internet use (my phone is still on the do not disturb mode with time limits for social media apps), but I’d never think of spending a full day away from my wireless gadgets. When you’re continually tuned in to apps and devices aimed at taking your focus (Netflix said that their biggest rival is sleeping), you’re starting to lose track of reality and your personality.
I figured this was the best experiment to see if it might have a good impact on my mind. After a weekly digital detox every Sunday for a month, I’m sharing the lessons I’ve learnt and how I did it without getting bored.
What a digital detox looks like
The book24/6 is based on Tiffany Shlain’s experience of switching off technology one day a week. Driven by her Jewish roots, Shlain calls them “Shabbat Technology.” She blends twenty-four hours of screen-free with Shabbat activities including a special Friday-night dinner with family and friends. Her family (including children) goes on screen-free from Friday night to Saturday night and limits all mobile devices such as smartphones. They even use a landline to make phone calls and a record player to listen to music (I knew I wasn’t going to do that with my experiment).
What most inspired me to try this idea out was the author’s description of her Saturday routine. Here’s what her family’s Tech Shabbat’s look like (I’ll share mine later):
- Friday afternoon – pick up fresh fruit and flowers from the farmers market
- Friday night – host friends for dinner (make the same meal every Friday to take out the guesswork)
- Saturday morning – journal, read
- Saturday afternoon – music (listening and playing), cooking, excursions to the library, bike ride, basketball, yoga, scheduled activities, errands, etc.
The benefits of a digital detox
Why would you want to go tech-free once a week? Here are some key benefits to this weekly practice:
More time for hobbies
Unplugging allows us time to grow up and understand new skills. We often stop doing this because we don’t think we have enough time, but we don’t even have enough time to try.
Personal growth
Shlain is reflecting about her own battle with impatience, and how unplugging makes her exercise patience. When we practice unplugging, we will build the strengths of our characters and learn to strengthen our vulnerabilities.
Deeper connection
When we unplug, we will give more generous consideration to the people around us. It also gives us a chance to interact more profoundly with ourselves, without distraction or contrast.
“By giving you a complete day off each week from screens, from obligations, from being available, letting you reflect and connect, tech Shabbat becomes the ultimate technology to make you the most creative, present, and productive version of yourself.”
– Tiffany Shlain
My digital detox routine
My normal Sunday routine would be to watch YouTube for hours, swipe through social media, and browse the internet aimlessly. While I haven’t practiced the detox as deeply as Shlain does, here are few guidelines that I have set for myself:
- No checking email
- No social media
- No YouTube
- No computers
- Only use phone for texts or calls
- No TV during the day (a few episodes at night was okay)
Here’s a monthly recap of what my Sunday schedule looked like:
Week 1:
- Started the 24/6 book on Saturday night and decided I wanted to try it the next day
- Went for a walk on the treadmill
- Read for most of the day
- Cooked a family dinner
- Watched an episode of Grey’s Anatomy
One thing I noticed is that I had a hard time falling asleep. I was expecting the best sleep of my life, but unfortunately it didn’t happen.
Week 2:
- Made pancakes for breakfast
- Meal prepped (I did use my phone so I could follow some recipes)
- Cleaned my room
- Went for a walk
- Watched an episode of Too Hot To Handle (a terrible show, don’t watch it lol)
- Did a facemask and took a shower
I went to bed around 10:45 after reading. I woke up early the next day (Monday) and actually felt motivated to get things done right away.
Week 3:
- Went for a walk
- Meal prepped
- Spent too long on Pinterest + Amazon trying to find DIY stuff
- Cleaned my room and did laundry
- Completed my skin care routine
- Watched an episode of Into the Night on Netflix (such a good show!)
- Went to bed at 10:30
I definitely broke my detox this day by spending way too long on Pinterest and Tiktok on my phone. That night, I woke up at 3:30 and couldn’t get back to sleep until 5.
Week 4:
- Made pancakes for breakfast
- Did my weekly laundry
- Meal prepped
- Worked out (I used my iPad to follow a workout)
- Watched one episode of Grand Army
I felt tempted to go on social media this day, but spending time with family (at a distance, of course) kept me occupied. Looking back, I could have probably created my own workout without needing to follow a video. I didn’t have any issues falling or staying asleep this night.
What I’ve learned
It gives me something to look for to
A day out from the digital world feels like an escape and an excuse to get away from it all. On Sundays, I knew that my day was going to be peaceful and soothing, and that made me look forward to every week.
I can stay occupied without technology
In the last month, I’ve read more books than I’ve read in a long time. It certainly made me know that I can keep myself busy without relying on technology. If you ever decided to take a hobby or study a language, this would be the best place to do it.
I’m more productive on Mondays now
Since I wouldn’t sit up late on Sunday night watching Netflix or browsing through TikTok, I woke up in a good state of mind on Monday morning. I found like I had more insight and encouragement to get started on my to-do list without procrastinating.
I feel more motivated be efficient
Knowing I wasn’t going to do any kind of work on Sunday made me more productive throughout the week. Instead of asking me that I could do a couple things on Sunday, I had them finished ahead of time so I could completely enjoy my tech-and-work-free Sundays.
Would you try a weekly digital detox?
Based on what I’ve learnt and experienced from this monthly challenge, I’m sure I’m planning to keep doing these digital detoxes on Sundays. I guess I’m even going to decide to go all day without watching TV to see if it makes a difference.
I hope you’ve been inspired to pursue your own digital detox one day a week for 24 hours. If you want more tips to make a digital detox work, I highly recommend the 24/6 book.
Make sure to comment your experiences below if you decided to try it out and share this post with some family or friends who love to use technology constantly.