The power of digital detox

Once I was a 10-year old spending a weekend in a fun tribe-like camp in the forest near Saint-Petersburg, Russia. We lived in Wigwams, (a Native American style cone-shaped tents), ate food cooked on a bonfire, and made our own tools out of wood. It was great.

There was no technology inside the camp. So, we had a lot of time for boredom. When you have so much time and no digital distractions you naturally start to use your creativity to amuse yourself.

Some people were creating improvisational theater plays in the forest, others were singing, many more were creating sculptures out of the things they've found among the trees. 

I was making bows and arrows and was wandering around the forest with friends shooting cones from pine trees. I enjoyed every moment of it. Also, I was participating in a fun crowd-dancing around the bonfire. Everyone felt relaxed and joyful, nothing was distracting us from being in the moment.

That weekend was one of the best human-being experiences that I’ve had. I was living in nature, talking to real people, and exploring my creativity. On top of that, I was developing a deeper understanding of myself and my purpose in life. 

Today, however, in the technology-dependent world it is hard to re-create that experience. We’re so addicted to our devices that a single thought of leaving home without them scares us. 

But we must try to find a way to break free from addictive and distracting technology, even if temporarily.

We must reconnect with ourselves, because we are losing the sense of who we are.  It affects our emotional state, and our relationships suffer. We are less creative, easily annoyed, irritated, and can't stand long periods of boredom without reaching for our devices.

How do we create a digital detox in our lives?

1)    The good news is that to start it doesn’t have to be a long process. About 10 to 30 minutes of meditation will do. 

Directions: Set a timer, then simply focus on your inhale and exhale. Take a deep breath in, then breath out, as you do so, analyze your body, and relax any parts of it which are tensed. If you mind wanders, it's okay, just get your attention back to the breathing. Do it until your timer goes off. This practice will give you a nice teaser of what detox can do for you.

2)    After you've experienced a glimpse of digital detox, it's time to make it a bit longer. Go on a 1 to 3-hour hike. 

Directions:  Get your hiking gear in place. Put sunscreen, get a hat, and a bottle of water. The key is to leave your smartphone and other devices in a car or at home. When you start ascending the hill the first part of it may feel boring and pointless, but then your mind gets into the flow state where great creative inspirations will surprise you with their generosity. You’ll start noticing nature around you in a new way. The only way to fully understand that feeling is to be there. Each week gradually increase time of the hike until you reach a 3-hour mark and then walk a little longer. 

3)    Now you a little bit more ready for an advanced digital detox that could last 1-3 days. 

Directions: This one requires much more planning and conversations with your family and colleagues. You’ve got to tell everyone that you’ll be doing a digital detox. You have to make it clear to your family, friends, and co-workers that your vacation from technology will better your relationships with everyone. There are several options you can choose from: 

• Digital detox retreats, which are quite popular in California

• Solo camping in one of the national parks

• Hotels or hostels somewhere in nature. 

The goal is to be in nature, mostly alone, without access to your phone. The best way is to leave it at home, because if you have a device, you will cheat.

Now, you have a simple blueprint of how to reconnect with yourself and discover some extraordinary things that you may have forgotten. Enjoy your detox session!