5 Surprising Truths I Learned After A Long Digital Detox
I’m watching Jennifer Lopez’s new movie Office Romance when a heartbreaking realization hits me.
People actually spend 3-5 hours a day on average watching TV?
I hadn’t scrolled through Netflix in months because… it’s summer. And I’ve been in the garden trimming roses, reading literary novels and art journaling.
But as I flipped from one lackluster offering to another, and scrolled past previews of movies that all looked the same, it hit me: I haven’t missed a thing.
I’d just spent the weekend reading Alice Hoffman’s brilliant dark romance Here on Earth between walks in the dewy grass and journaling sessions with a new oracle deck.
And in comparison, watching Lopez’s character get unrealistically infatuated with an annoying lawyer seemed like a real waste of my time.
I turned the TV off as the couple was having dinner on a tropical island. And I went out into the garden just in time to catch the golden sunlight hit the vines.
At least the entire evening hadn’t gone to waste, I thought. And then I walked over to my bookshelf to skim the first few lines of my next read.
The irony is: just a few weeks ago, I would have sat through that movie and zoned out while sinking deeper into layers of throw pillows.
And I would have told myself: “You deserve a bit of mindless entertainment. You’ve been working hard! Just kick back and relax as the predictable plot unfolds.”
And of course there’s nothing wrong with a silly movie to brighten your mood. There’s nothing wrong with a movie that you won’t remember next year.
We don’t have to spend every night ticking off pages to meet our annual Goodreads reading challenge. We don’t really have to do anything productive. We can just veg out cocooned inside a cotton-blend blanket.
Well, that’s what I used to think.
Then I did an unplanned digital detox for a few weeks and I let the remotes gather dust.
When I returned again to Instagram and Netflix, I had an entirely different perspective.
I realized that nothing looked tempting enough to watch – though just a few weeks ago I would have happily sat through anything.
So what’s changed?
I discovered that my reading and journaling sessions offered a far more rewarding rest than any screens ever did.
And when I turned the TV back on, the rom coms and the dramas seemed not only uninteresting but also not nearly as relaxing.
They seemed like distractions when I could be doing more enjoyable things.
And I’m not saying this out of a sense of superiority.
Because I still watch the occasional movie (and they’re often brilliant and worth it).
But I AM saying: you’re not going to miss that TV and social media after you turn them off.
You’ll feel antsy for awhile and you’ll keep checking your feed in case you missed anything.
But that FOMO quickly passes.
And then you find yourself really relaxing. Getting back hours of free time. Feeling finally at peace.
Because you’re no longer distracted away from your problems. You’re grounded with a healthy perspective on them.
And that’s the change in perspective nobody talks about.
Because a digital detox is often depicted as a monk-like, punishing exercise where you deny yourself the pleasures of the latest entertainments for the rigors of sunrise yoga and essential Penguin classics.
The offline life is depicted as a niche lifestyle choice for the hopelessly out-of-touch or for those with no real responsibilities.
But once you actually experience a weeks-long digital detox, you’ll realize it’s exactly the opposite.
What you once considered entertaining becomes trite and boring.
And what you once considered difficult becomes – just a lot of fun.
Here’s what else you’ll experience during a digital detox:
1. Your standards will rise.
If you once watched silly movies and bad series just to relax, you’ll now see them as hopeless wastes of time. Because you know you could be spending your time having a lot more fun.
2. You’ll develop better personal taste.
Reading novels, art books and print magazines makes you a far more engaged consumer because analog content requires more focus. You’re no longer a passive observer flipping from one AI-generated recommendation to the next.
3. You’ll start to really value your time.
Instead of “killing time” with low-hanging fruit and easy distractions, you’ll learn the real value of even a half hour – because even that is enough to draw a sketch or read a few chapters of a great book.
4. You’ll love yourself more.
It’s the ultimate form of self-care to spend the evening doing your nails while listening to music, instead of lying on the couch and watching whatever the algorithms throw at you.
5. You’ll enjoy movies more.
The fewer movies you watch, the more special they become – and the more selective you get about which ones to see.
Because distractions keep you entertained but they don’t give you true rest.
TV and social media are well-proven to increase depression and anxiety. Even if they might feel very cozy and comforting when you’re deep into them.
And the things that seem difficult now (like reading an entire novel) don’t have to be treated as rigid personal growth routines to advance your career or make you a better conversationalist.
They are just lots of fun (I promise).
It’s crucial to understand this difference.
Because once you understand, you’ll be a lot more motivated to get offline and go analog (whether that’s reading literary novels or hand-painting wolf figurines).
You’ll no longer see social media or streaming services as pleasures. You’ll see them as wastes of time.
Maybe nice once in awhile – but definitely not as nice as reading in the garden.
Read next:
10 Ways To Live A More Analog (And Satisfying) Life
How To Do A Digital Detox That Actually Sticks
15 Things To Do In The Morning (Instead Of Scrolling)
Reclaim your life from the digital noise.
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