Technology is a double-edged sword; it has both advantages and disadvantages. The issue arises, however, when the drawbacks significantly exceed the positives.I've been an active reader for the last five years, and I've read more than 250 books on a wide range of themes and in several genres. I consume mostly nonfiction and self-help literature.
By adopting a third-person viewpoint, I saw that my ability to focus has dropped significantly over the last two years as a result of my daily intake of an infinite stream of material on different social media platforms.I felt decreased vitality, happiness, and anxiety. And all of this was occurring on a much deeper level. And I was unable to replicate the pleasure I had when reading a book.One day I was done consuming stuff mindlessly and decided to take a digital detox for 10 days.
Here are the improvements I experienced over the first 10 days, which inspired me to continue my detox for an additional twenty days.
The first 2–3 days were not easy. My brain needed such habits as scanning social media and viewing YouTube videos, but I didn’t supply them to it. I was resolved to continue my effort to discover what was waiting for me on the other side of the tunnel.
After the first week, there is a honeymoon period when you wonder why you spent so much time on these platforms in the first place.I could tell that my superpowers were coming back; I could read for hours without even a tinge of longing for social media.I immediately felt as if I had more than 24 hours in a day to do everything and still have time to clean the dishes, make my bed, and perform other home tasks.
My sleep pattern has improved; previously, I would fall asleep between midnight and one o'clock in the morning. Without social media, though, I felt drowsy much earlier. And let me tell you, a good night's sleep is where the seeds of a wonderful day are planted.
When I slept well, my body felt fantastic, and I had more energy and decreased lethargy. and felt encouraged to replicate positive activities with little or no effort the following day.
When I had no
thing else to do, I simply sat by myself and let my thoughts drift like a kite in the sky. It felt amazing to do absolutely nothing. It allowed me to consider my life and my ambitions. These tedious sessions turned out to be the most beneficial use of my time, as I always came up with a new thought or viewpoint that helped me see things and my life in a fresh light.
I don't know for sure, but I felt more empathic as I grew more aware of the tiny things around me. I was eating without a device in front of me, so I was more conscious and appreciative of each mouthful, and I was pleasantly surprised to feel fuller with less food.
I've been exercising for nearly a year, and over these 30 days, I felt the same way: weakest in the beginning and invincible at the conclusion.
I read the books that I always wanted to read but had postponed for some reason. I felt foolish for spending so much time on social media since the thought of viewing humorous cat videos, memes, and all of the poisonous information crowded my head to the point that I didn't feel good and felt detached from myself.
A life devoid of social media is far more seductive than the allure of social media platforms. The first few days will seem like you are missing a leg, but as you spend more time without it, life without social media will lure you to the point where you will no longer feel like your old self.
My own perspective on this is fairly straightforward and practical
People often believe that too much of anything is bad, yet social media platforms are far more addictive than we realize. Design engineers earn six-figure incomes to make them addictive by leveraging the psychology of human behavior. Therefore, it is quite difficult to establish regulations and adhere to them.
Find an accountability partner who is as determined to change as you are, if not more so, and establish tight ground rules for achieving each other's shared objectives.
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