How Do You Know If You Are Spending Too Much Time On Your Phone?
They’ve become part of our everyday. They’re always there to alert us, inform us, distract us...
Somehow, they’re no longer a simple communication device but a crutch that we’ve integrated into our daily habits, schedules and activities. We feel naked without them, we need them for an alarm, to schedule our personal life, for work, for social media, to track our exercise. We’ve even got watches that enable us to access our phone on the move.
There’s no arguing that it’s handy when you need to quickly check something on Google or pop someone a quick email, but are you getting the feeling that it’s stealing just a little too much of your attention?
So, how do you know if you’re spending too much time on your phone and need a digital detox?
There are some key signs that you may be due a digital detox and these relate to your interactions with your phone. Has it become the first thing you reach for in the morning and the last thing you check at night? When you can’t sleep, does a battle with endless scrolling ensue, or are you finding your attention span waning as try to flick between your phone and tv all evening, not giving either your full focus.
When you spend too much time on your phone your mental health can also start to suffer; scrolling and delving down social media rabbit holes can give you a constant feeling of FOMO (fear of missing out), or encourage unhealthy comparison with others. And more often than not, feelings of guilt and dissatisfaction when you’ve realised you’ve spent another lunch break staring at your phone.
In the book Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again, by writer and journalist, Johann Hari, he speaks about how our phones and the apps we use have been designed to distract us, having been “deliberately designed by the smartest people in the world to maximally grab and maximally hold our attention.”
He says, “We live in a culture that is constantly amping us up with stress and stimulation.”
So, if you’re thinking it’s time for a break. Let’s start by setting some good intentions and making plans to put down the tech and engage in slow practices like meditation or yoga or reconnection with nature, as well as well-needed relaxation for your physical and mental wellbeing.
At SenSpa we hear many hotel guests talk about needing a spa break to disconnect from everyday life and a chance to slow down, which is why we’ve designed a spa break for those looking for a luxurious tech-free escape that prioritises wellbeing and mindfulness this autumn.
Our kid-free digital detox spa break is all about disconnecting so you can reconnect – with yourself, a partner, or friends. Plan a couple of phone-free days at our Hampshire hotel and instead focus on your book, your partner or your relaxation. A spa break at our Hampshire hotel can be whatever you need it to be.
We’re suggesting that you book this time out so you can swap your smartphone for a walk amongst the ancient trees of the New Forest National Park; take time to unwind in the spa, and sit down to dinners full of great conversation with those who matter most.
As part of the Unplugged: Digital Detox Spa Break in Hampshire, to help you relax even further, you’ll receive an exclusive welcome hamper brimming with wellness goodies including DIRTEA’s Mushroom powder tins to add a dose of healthy goodness to your favourite drink, Pure Earth’s delicious gut, defence and glow kombucha drinks, a gratitude journal from Positive Planners, a Scentered aromatherapy balm, a Forest Therapy Guide and reviving products from SenSpa’s natural and organic skincare range.
What are you waiting for. If you feel it’s time to take a break from your phone, make it happen so you can reconnect with what matters, refocus on important relationships and take a healthy step away from social media, even for just a day or two, and rekindle your time and attention.
