Why total digital detoxes miss the mark
Instead of taking a limited break from all technological distractions, a US academic says we should cut down on our daily distractions
These days it’s almost a cliché to proclaim that you’re “addicted” to your smartphone and need a break.
Yet if you're thinking about embarking on a “digital detox”, think again.
Digital detox is a popular term for going a limited period of time without your phone, your computer, your iPad ... in an effort to recharge your mental batteries and reconnect with the people and activities that you truly value.
Recent reports suggest high-powered executives are increasingly flocking to digital-technology-free retreats, where they can spend time outdoors, work out and meditate.
American academic Cal Newport has proposed a process called ‘digital decluttering’ as an alternative to digital detoxing
In his new book, Digital Minimalism, Cal Newport, a professor of computer sciences at Georgetown University, in Washington, explains why these digital detoxes are missing the mark in aiming to treat an obsession with technology.
The book makes the case for reducing daily distractions so you have time and attention to work on stuff that matters.
As an alternative to the digital detox, Newport proposes a process he calls “digital decluttering”.
Here’s how it works: you designate 30 days to take a break from optional technologies in your life; you use that time to explore and rediscover activities you find important