Recently I had an experience with technology that made me think a lot about the relationship with electronic devices.

I was travelling when my mobile phones were stolen (yes, plural, I was carrying two with me, one personal and another professional!). Misfortune really never comes alone!!

The first reactions I had were panic, impotence, sadness and anger, but fortunately they lasted a few minutes, as I regained consciousness and I started to be grateful for being safe and sound.

I started wondering why panic and sadness arose in me … Are mobile phones reason enough to have these kind of reactions?

The answer was clearly negative, and I realized how we are dependent on technology, either for our own choice or for other kind of obligations.

But when does this dependence begin to be a small addiction? When does the number of daily consultations to our email inbox, social networks, apps, mobile phones, tablets, and time spent playing videogames, watching TV, etc. start to be no good for us?

How do we identify if we’re experiencing a digital intoxication?

In order to know if we’re experiencing some kind of “dependence”, we must observe our behaviour with electronic devices for one week.
— Anita D’Ambrosio, Holistic Health Coach

We must write down in our agenda the time of log in and log out together with the duration of each consultation and the place where we do them. Afterwards, we analyze the information we’ve collected.

If the registered result is consultations every hour, we’re experiencing some degree of digital intoxication!

But what is the reason of this “addiction”?
Usually, behind a small dependency hides a personal need or an uncomfortable situation. There is an attempt to distract us from a difficult time in our lives or to avoid facing an emptiness we feel.

To heal ourselves from digital intoxication, it’s necessary to reestablish a new relationship with technology, more harmonious and healthier, in which we regain our ability to choose and our freedom and, finally, overcome the tension and stress created by this dependence.
— Anita D’Ambrosio, Holistic Health Coach

How do we heal from digital intoxication?
Are you identifying yourself in what we’re talking about here and want to free yourself from the stress created by this dependence?

Don’t worry, most of us have already experienced some level of digital intoxication, as all these devices are present everywhere, both in our personal and professional life.

It’s up to us win this dependence and find a cure for this intoxication, and this cure is within ourselves!
— Anita D’Ambrosio, Holistic Health Coach

Below some tips you can put into practice in your daily routine in order to create a more harmonious relationship with technology:

1. Benefits of “Digital Free”: Start writing down a list of benefits you get by being more independent from technology. What are the benefits we would get if we were digital free? Some examples of what you gain being “Digital Free”: more walks in Nature with your beloved ones, greater presence in every moment, more quality free time, more productivity and concentration, a better quality sleep… There are numerous advantages, explore them!

2. It’s time to “Log Off”: Now that we have a list of benefits, the next step is to put into practice disconnection from electronic devices.

This doesn’t mean disappearing from the digital world (unless it’s what we really want!), it means identifying goals to improve our holistic health, write them down in a notebook or piece of paper which is visible every day and define actions to accomplish your goals.

Examples: 

• Check social networks 3 times a day at an established time;
• Turn off your mobile phone starting from 9 p.m. until you wake up the next day;
• Turn off your mobile phone and leave it in the changing room when you are at the gym,
• Etc.

Whatever our goal is each little progress must be celebrated, since we’re introducing healthier habits in our life.
— Anita D’Ambrosio, Holistic Health Coach

Disconnection can be difficult for some of us, but there’s no doubt that is all about a period of connection with ourselves and our real needs. Our creativity help us control our impulses – through meditation, for example – and help us become closer to others.

3. Get inspired for new habits: Observe the results you achieved with disconnection and get inspired to create new habits based in a healthier relationship with technology. Shall we keep putting into practice some of the actions that we took during disconnection? Do we want to improve this feeling of wellness coming from the digital detoxification with the introduction of new habits in our daily routine? Be creative and try!

How about to start our digital detoxification now, as the article is at the end?

This is a good opportunity for you to disconnect from your mobile phone, computer, tablet or any other electronic device that you’re using at this very moment and start writing down all the advantages you’ll get if you disconnect from the digital world.

The ultimate goal is to feel at peace, free, more creative and productive, and above all… Happy!