Take a Screen Free Day
Take a screen free day to take a big inhale and connect with yourself.
My biggest regret in the first few years of my PhD was not taking one full day a week off from everything. I was constantly plugged in either to my business or my PhD. Always checking emails, social media, brainstorming ideas and working on projects. Instead of saying no to classes/workshops/events in my down time, I said yes to everything. I was spread so thin. I had too much input, many ideas and an inability to really see any of them through. At least, not to my fullest capacity.
Since the start of 2020, I have been really exploring the different ways in which I can excel in my career and my business while looking after myself.
This has led to some big decisions and projects, including:
taking every Saturday off my work - the demands of a PhD and business are high which means in order to support myself I do need to work 6 days a week at this point. I know this is common and isn’t forever, but taking Saturdays off work completely I intend to be forever.
Exploring different ways to look after myself better has also led to some smaller things that I do regularly in order to reconnect with myself. This includes regularly taking a screen free or phone free day.
In this Insights Article I am going to share with you:
why I like to take a screen/phone free day
some of the benefits of a screen/phone free day
some tips for a screen/phone free day
a plan to declare your screen free day and to receive support and accountability from me.
*This blog post contains some affiliate thinks. This means that if you click on a link to any of the book recommendations and choose to purchase, I may receive a small commission.
Why I choose to take a regular Screen or Phone Free Day
Phones and screens are a challenge to avoid. I have found that even though I have quit social media, my phone and screen time can creep up. My work requires me to spend a lot of time at my computer so much of this is unavoidable so I like to make sure I give my body and a mind a rest from screens on a regular basis.
Growing up this was actually something I had really frequently, whether for a day trip or a week away, many of my horse riding, bushwalking and rock climbing areas had zero phone reception rendering a phone useless at those times. Those days away from school, screens and other responsibilities were so important for my development growing up and I want to bring those benefits back into my adult life.
I find that when stress hits, especially when this stress is related to a big picture thing, like COVID-19, I go into a cycle of anxiety, email and news update checking. This is not at all helpful and ends up leaving me feeling worse. I find that especially when this behaviour tends to escalate, what I actually need is quiet time. Time away from inputs. Time to reconnect with me rather than numbing.
I’m finding over time between daily decisions I have made to restrict my phone use as well as screen free days overall I feel better and am less reliant on my phone. I’m also getting through my work and my lists of projects because I am more efficient with my time. But more importantly, I rest on my Saturdays, and feel so good during and after a screen free or phone free Saturday.
WE DON’T NEED TO BE CONTACTABLE 24/7! In fact you will be lucky if you call if I answer my phone at all during a work day. Unless I am expecting a call my phone is in my draw and on do not disturb. My work does not currently require me to answer all the time and for most of us who work in an office, we should have an office phone for that. Think back to life before mobile phones, generally we just made better plans and stuck to them. I’m trying to do more of that these days.
Some of the Benefits of a Screen or Phone Free Day
To be clear these are the benefits I have found from having a regular screen or phone free day:
My mind slows down.
I finish books.
I get those random little house jobs done.
I sleep better.
I suddenly have so much more time in my day.
My home feels calmer.
I feel less anxious.
I am more present when I am alone.
I am more present when I am around other people.
As an introverted extrovert, I need A LOT of alone time. And time with my phone is not alone time.
Some Tips for a Screen or Phone Free Day
Step 1: Decide what you want to be free of
As well as being disastrous for my health, my phone is actually hugely beneficial. My phone contains guided meditations, access to music and a selection of wonderful audio books and podcasts. It allows me to walk alone safely knowing I can get in contact with someone in an emergency. Also without a landline our phones are our contact with the outside world. We also live in a strange time of COVID check-ins, meaning that unless we a writing our details down as we run errands we are going to be using our phone.
So before you decide to take a screen or phone free day, you need to decide what you need to be free of and set some parameters in place. For example, do you need to really remove all inputs for a 24 hour (or more) period or do you just need to not be reactive to your too smart devices?
Here are some examples from how I have approached this for myself.
Screen Free Day - Zero Input
Phone - turn off all notifications, turn on flight mode, switch off and put away out of site.
ipad and if you have one smart watch on flight mode, switch off and put away out of site.
Laptop off and out of site.
No TV.
No radio or music.
Think of this like an almost mini silent retreat. This is a day to be with you and your thoughts. To only have your own input and maybe those who you live with.
Phone Free Day
Phone - turn off all notifications, turn on flight mode, switch off and put away out of site.
ipad and if you have one smart watch on flight mode, switch off and put away out of site.
Laptop off and out of site.
On a phone free day I might choose to still listen to music, an audio book or a couple of podcasts. To get the most out of your phone free day and think of your phone as like an original MP3 player or iPod. All it does is hold preloaded music. The night before your screen free day, download any music, audiobooks or podcasts you would like access to.
On a phone free day you might still like to use your camera.
Step 2: Set a date
I find it simplest and most rewarding to do a screen free day on my day off. For many of us we can’t afford to be disconnected for a full day with family and work. I will sometimes choose to have a reading day for work, where I work through a stack of printed journal articles and book chapters, but this isn’t quite the same as disconnecting and reconnecting with myself on my Saturday off.
At the moment I am aiming for one screen free day a month. To do this I am basically blocking out a Saturday in my calendar on a time I am in the mood to enter a cocoon, for example, the last or early days of my menstrual cycle (a Saturday that falls roughly around days 26-5).
Step 3: Prepare Yourself and Others
If you need to head out you can have your phone on you in case of an emergency (but really if something does happen, unless you are truly alone, someone nearby will have a phone you can borrow).
Start your screen free day the night before by letting anyone close to you who may worry if they can’t get in touch with you what you are doing and let them know who they can contact in case of an emergency (landline, spouse etc). After that message has gone through, turn your phone off your time has begun! For example, I will send my family group message, ‘Hey Fam, having a phone free day tomorrow. Contact Zach if there is anything urgent. Have a great weekend.’ That’s it, no explanation necessary. They may ask questions and you can let them know you can talk about it after or in person.
If I have plans with friends, we make those plans concrete, for example, meet at X at 1pm to walk for coffee and hour walk. Have a plan that if they don’t arrive within a set time frame, only then will you turn on your phone to check up on them.
I find that turning off all notifications and my phone off the night before helps in a few ways:
No reaching for my phone first thing in the morning setting my intention for the day. It just isn’t there to distract me.
By turning off all notifications, before it goes on flight mode, so if need be, I am able to turn my phone back on without being distracted or tempted by notifications. For example, I need to pop into Officeworks to fulfil a stationery need that came up during the day and will therefore need my phone to do my COVID check in (true story).
Step 4: Plan Your Screen/Phone Free Day
I found that having a screen free or phone free day was easy to do when I had a bit of a plan for other things I could fill my time with. Maybe handwrite a list of things you would like to do if you had the time, print out or download that recipe you want to try, plan a cozy day in with books, games and yummy food, then use the day to do some of it.
Tips for a whole family screen free day:
Plan an adventure - Zoo, museum (free), beach, hike.
Plan a stay at home adventure - outdoor or indoor games, build a cubby, obstacle course, choose a favourite recipe each and cook together, read to each other.
The research is showing gen Z is way more aware of these issues now. Maybe even watch the social dilemma as a family to end the screen free day. In fact, since quitting social media, I have had the most pushback from women over 40!
Consider not making a big deal of it. Go somewhere there won’t be reception or phones aren’t allowed. Lead by example, all phones/tablets/remotes go in a draw together.
Check out these resources to help you reconsider your screen and phone use:
How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price - Read this first if you want the simple why and the steps to break up with your phone in 30 days.
10 Reasons for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Lanier
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff - My next read on this topic.
Are You Ready to Plan Your Screen Free or Phone Free Day?
Let’s plan your screen or phone free day together now! I know handwriting a declaration like this can be very beneficial so I encourage you to do that too. I also know the value of accountability and encouragement. If you share with me the details of your screen free plans by making this declaration below, I will send you a personalised email checking in before (if there is time) and after to see how you went.
