Getting rid of that screen: are you already doing the Digital Detox?

No more wine with matching French runaway cheeses for a while, this time using your gym subscription, more quality time for yourself and with your family. We all know those good intentions. New in the list is the digital detox. What does it yield and how do you keep up with that intention?

Good intentions; we make them en masse (80% of us) and with fresh courage, so with the New Year’s hangover still fresh in the memory and eau de oliebol in your party dress. They persist? That’s another story. Only 17% do. Not surprising, so if your Dry January is wetter than planned or boot camp has fallen somewhere at the bottom of your to-do list.

Judith Renard can explain this; Together with Merel Braakman she developed several programs within The Selfcare Company to teach new habits. “We often think too easily about our good intentions. Like: oh we’ll do that for a while, but it’s not that simple. Our intentions are linked to persistent habits and unconscious behavior. You can’t just change that. You have to consciously work with it and really take your time. Otherwise it won’t work.”

Done with cat videos

The Digital Detox focuses on on reducing our screen time, a resolution that entered the top ten resolutions. We swipe, tap and look away unnoticed for about 5.5 (!) hours a day, and that doesn’t even include our working day. Judith: “We are glued to our screen en masse. Many people want to cut down, but they can’t. It’s a very persistent habit. Netflix is ​​like wine, a reward after a hard day’s work.”

Binging the last season of Emily in Paris can of course do no harm, but watching, apping and scrolling for hours every day does have a negative impact on our health. “You sleep worse if you are glued to a screen just before you close your eyes. All sitting is not good for your weight and the many stimuli are difficult to process. It is also very addictive.” You decide to just respond to that photo in the group app, but before you know it, you’re already an hour and thirty cat videos further. Recognizable?

digital detox

Of course, it doesn’t have to be January 1 to want to turn an intention into a new habit. By detaching yourself from screens in your spare time, you gain a lot. “Time, above all, and quality. All the while you scrolling through your timeline on Insta or Facebook, you can also do something fun with your child or really connect with friends. You sleep better and have more energy. You also set a good example for your child. If your offspring always see you glued to your screen, this gives them a license to do exactly the same.”

The Digital Detox lasts a week and gives you the tips and tricks you need every day to curb your app/scroll/Funda addiction a bit. Before you think: a nice one for next year… You don’t have to stop cold turkey. Inserting a screen-free Sunday is also a good start, according to Judith.

Hints

1. “Take the TV out of the bedroom. You will see that you sleep much better and get more energy in return.”

2. “Delete any apps that make you feel negative gets. Also unfollow all the people you have a negative experience with. Follow positive pages that make you feel good.”

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