How To Implement Digital Boundaries!

In previous post we checked how much screen time, and how often you are picking up your phone in a day. If you missed it click here to go back and check your weekly/daily statistics.

If those numbers alarmed you or if you want to develop a better balance with your phone continue reading.

Below we’ll cover “How you can, without much effort create just a tiny bit better relationship with your phone.” This is done by putting some simple systems in place so you can claim back your focus, be more productive and find some time in your day to do other things!

First things first, what is Digital Detox?

If you Google ‘Digital Detox’ it will tell you that it’s a period of time during which a person voluntarily refrains from using electronic devices as an opportunity to reduce stress & focus more on social interaction in the real, physical world.

With the pandemic bringing global lockdowns having everyone plugged into their electronics now more than ever, Digital Detox is a must. As a matter of fact, it should be a top priority. Why? Experts have found it to be a necessary practice needed to maintain a state of mental & physical wellbeing. Excessive screen time can take a toll on one’s mental health, depriving one of sleep and more productive tasks. It can be quite harmful, but the good news is we can free ourselves from the bait of technology by setting certain rules & boundaries.

How can one implement Digital Boundaries?

Here are my top 5 tips you could start implementing to create some digital boundaries in your life.

Before you dive in, know that is not a one size fits all thing. AND that you do not need to start from STEP 1, you can pick and choose the once that fit you the best, and give you the most bang for your buck. Think in this context - most results for least effort, and something you can do consistently.

Tip #1. Turn off all your red tag notifications. 

Those non-essential notifications, those applications that send you unnecessary notifications, updates & reminders every single day, turn them off. By doing this, you can minimise your phone pick up. 

Tip #2. Limit your newsfeed check-ins.

How do you do this? Plain & simple. Just place your phone where you are less likely to pick it up. You can make use of your couch, your bedroom or your dinner table as screen-free zones. Whenever you’re in these areas, it is a must to keep the face of your screen down. It may take a lot of discipline to do this, but it’s possible!

Tip #3. Protect your consolidation & focus time.

You. Have. To. Protect. Your. Focus. Time. Not sure how to emphasise this enough. This is a very important boundary to establish when it comes to the digital world. You can do this by simply turning on Airplane Mode when you are working on the more important tasks such as Zoom calls for work, daily exercise routines and so on. This keeps you more focused & dedicated to perform your tasks.

Tip #4. Set up safeguards.

It’s always best to keep safe. Set up your safeguards by dividing your contact list into groups so you can freely decide which contact group can reach you at whichever time. A good example is being able to screen calls from work whilst allowing calls from your family & friends at a different, certain time. This helps you manage your time wisely, too.

Tip #5. Set time limits for certain apps.

This has been proven to work for most individuals trying to live a digital-free life. Your favorite apps that aren’t really necessary to your everyday living, apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and so, you can set time limits each day so that you can avoid scrolling through social media for half of the day and in turn, do more productive workloads.

Really, there are a lot more guides & tips on how to implement digital boundaries and you could always find whatever works well for you. Just know that it’s always about consistency and focus on making it easy and simple.

If you want to reduce the stress in your life and bring more positive outcomes, start by making a decision to set digital boundaries and make the smallest possible change today.

READ HERE HOW I WENT ABOUT IMPLEMENTING DIGITAL BOUNDARIES IN MY BUSINESS