We have what they call a serious obsession with social media. We can’t seem to put down our phones even just for a few minutes. We shuffle through different apps like it’s part of our system. Especially now that we’re in lockdown, it’s all we ever seem to do.

You might not be bothered by the fact that you’re glued to your phone day in and day out, but studies show that too much screen time can pose dangers to your mental health. It might keep you entertained, but constant exposure to social media can take a toll on you. Camping out on Facebook and scrolling through Instagram can trigger feelings of loneliness, sadness, stress, and frustration. What was invented to make you stay connected is making you feel isolated.

So, once in a while, step away from your phone to give your mind that much-needed rest. Here are some practical ways to perform a digital detox:

Turn Off the Buzzing Sounds

If you want to minimize your screen time, you must turn off your notifications. Those phone alerts are like black holes – once you get sucked in, you won’t be able to get out. If you’re trying to read a book or do yoga, those constant buzzing sounds can be distracting. You’ll end up reaching for your phone to see who sent that Instagram DM. Next thing you know, it’s 6 PM, and you’ve accomplished nothing on your to-do list. So, it’s best to remove the pop-ups as well as the vibrations for you to be able to focus on more productive activities.

Stick to a Daily Schedule

Set a time when you can get a hold of your phone. Choose a specific time of the day when you can allow yourself to indulge. For example, give yourself time off from gadgets from 6 AM to noon and log back on from noon to 6 PM. Then disconnect again for the rest of the evening. Of course, you must allow yourself the freedom to reply to emails, check the news, or scroll through Twitter but in a limited time frame only.

Allow 2 Days of Detox

Make weekends completely gadget-free. That means no phone, laptop, tablet, computer, or television. Instead, immerse yourself in a good book, learn how to paint, start gardening,teach piano, bake cupcakes, spend time with your family. When you remove social media, you’ll be able to create new projects and discover new passions. You’ll be able to take your mind off your worries and insecurities that you’re continuously reminded whenever you go online. It will make you feel better knowing there’s a life outside that small screen.

Limit App Access

If you want to be strict on the amount of time you spend on social media, you can activate your Screen Time on your iPhone. You can set the number of minutes you can access your apps. Once you reach the given time limit, you won’t be able to open your apps for another 24 hours. That is an effective way to increase your productivity at home because you have no choice but to put your phone away and start doing your chores. AniPhone also provides insights regarding your usage so you can assess the hours you spend on social media apps daily.

Make it Look Boring

Remove all color from your screen by activating your phone’s grayscale feature. By desaturating your screen, you make fiddling with your phone less exciting. With a painfully dull screen, you won’t have to try hard to keep yourself away from your social media.

Remove Temptation

Refrain from putting your phone on the nightstand or under your pillow. Chances are, it’s the first thing you’ll want to reach for the moment you wake up. That is because you have made your phone so accessible to you that you’ve developed dependency over it. So, slowly ease out of that routine and rewire your brain. Place your phone away from your bed, perhaps inside your dresser or your work bag. The point is, you have to make it inconvenient for you so you can break that habit. Once you learn this trick, instead of spending your time on Snapchat or Twitter, you will have more time to meditate, write in your journal, or have a few quiet moments before getting out of bed.

Cutting down screen time is allowing yourself to perform more enriching activities. So, if you want to achieve the best version of yourself, you have to learn how to take a step back from social media once in a while.