Digital devices make life easier: they connect us, inform us, entertain us and help us work. The problem arises when use becomes automatic and constant, and we start looking at the phone dozens of times a day without a clear purpose. Digital detox does not mean giving up technology, but regaining control over when and how we use it, so that it is a tool at our service and not the other way round.

Signs that your phone use has got out of hand

  • You pick it up without realising, even though you have received no notification
  • You feel anxious or restless when you do not have it to hand
  • You spend more time than you meant to on social media or short videos
  • You find it hard to concentrate on a task or keep up a conversation without looking at the screen
  • You use it in bed until late and sleep less than you need
  • You feel worse after spending a lot of time on social media

Start by measuring: how much time do you really spend

Most phones include a screen-time report. Review it for a few days, without judging yourself: see how many hours you spend connected, which apps you use most and at what times. Knowing the real figure is often surprising and is the best motivation to act. Also notice how you feel after each use: some apps add to your day, and others only distract you.

Reduce notifications

Every alert is an interruption that fragments attention. Turn off all notifications that are not essential, especially from social media, shopping and games. Keep only calls, messages from close people and critical apps. You will see that the phone stops demanding your attention and you decide when to look at it.

Change the phone’s environment

Small adjustments have a big effect. Remove the most tempting apps from the home screen or put them in a hard-to-reach folder, use greyscale if you find it hard to put down, and leave the charger outside the bedroom. Buy a classic alarm clock so you do not use the phone as a clock on the bedside table. And if necessary, use per-app time limits.

Create screen-free zones and times

  • During meals, keep devices off the table
  • The first and last hour of the day, without screens
  • One afternoon a week or half a weekend day, without social media
  • Bedrooms as phone- and tablet-free zones
  • Meetings with friends and family, with phones put away

Replace, do not just subtract

When you eliminate a habit, a gap remains. Think about what you will fill it with: reading a few pages, going for a walk, calling a friend, cooking, drawing, stretching or simply looking out of the window. Having a specific alternative to hand makes it much easier to resist the urge to pick up the phone out of sheer boredom.

Do one thing at a time

Digital multitasking makes us less effective and more tired. When you work, close unnecessary tabs, silence the phone and use concentration blocks of twenty-five or fifty minutes followed by a short break. When you talk, look at the person. That full attention is a gift to others and to yourself.

Social media with more intention

Follow accounts that inspire or teach you and mute or unfollow those that cause discomfort or constant comparison. Remember that what you see is a selected version of other people’s lives. Setting a specific window to check them, for example twenty minutes at midday, prevents them from slipping into every gap in the day.

With children and teenagers

Young people learn mostly from what they see at home. Setting clear family rules, such as no screens at dinner, and leading by example, works better than banning. Talking about the risks and benefits of the internet, accompanying them and encouraging face-to-face activities builds healthier use in the long term.

Tools that help

Operating systems include focus modes, per-app time limits and scheduling of notification-free periods. There are also apps and extensions that temporarily block websites or social networks. Use them as support, not as punishment: the aim is to design an environment that favours your decisions. A basic phone for weekend outings or leaving your phone at home during a short walk can be good training.

What to do about boredom

When you reduce phone use, boredom is likely to appear, which we hardly know any more. Far from being a problem, it is a space where ideas, memories and creativity arise. Allow yourself to wait without doing anything in a queue or on transport, to observe your surroundings and let your mind wander. That ability is recovered with practice and is an excellent ally of wellbeing.

When to ask for help

If you feel you cannot control your use, that it affects your work, studies, relationships or mood, or that it causes you anxiety or isolation, talk to a psychologist. There are techniques and supports that can help you regain balance.

A one-week experiment

Choose three measures, such as turning off notifications, leaving the phone out of the bedroom and having a screen-free time at meals, and keep them for seven days. Note how you sleep, how you concentrate and how you feel. You are likely to be surprised at how much you gain with small changes.

Regaining control

Technology is neither good nor bad in itself: it depends on how we use it. With intention and small limits, you can enjoy everything it offers without it stealing your time, attention or calm.