A 2020 Resolution You Can Achieve by Staying in Bed: Detoxing Your Digital Space in Two Easy Steps
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A Really Easy, "Green” Digital New Year’s Resolution
Whether or not you’re a fan of new year resolutions, 2020 is rapidly approaching and with it comes the perfect opportunity for a fresh start and a blank slate in all areas of your life. When it comes to making resolutions, most of us tackle the realm of physical health, joining gyms and yoga studios or opting to hold ourselves more accountable for our daily runs or CrossFit classes. Some of us make professionals goals focused on growing in our careers, setting our sights on a new promotion or planning a switch to a more fulfilling job. Some of us look for ways to become more mindful, adopting a new meditation practice or scheduling more “me-time.”
These are all, beautiful, worthy resolutions, but there’s another realm I’d like to suggest exploring for your 2020 goals: detoxing your digital space.
How to Detox Your Digital Space in Two Easy Steps
Detox? I think that’s a concept most of us understand. To detoxify something is to get rid of negative energy, or things that add “toxins” to our life, whether mentally or physically.
But detoxing our digital space? What does that mean?
Well, first off, it’s no secret that most members of our society live in two worlds simultaneously: 1) the real, physical world, and 2) the phone or digital world. A lot of our new year resolutions focus on the physical world (like working on our fitness or spending less time on the couch), or even the bridge between the physical and digital world (like opting to reduce screen time so we can be more present in our daily lives - also a worthy resolution, but one for a different post). There aren’t many resolutions that focus purely on our life in the digital world.
Whether we like it or not, the digital world is an integral part of our day-to-day lives. We spend a lot of time there. It’s how we network professionally, it’s how many of us complete our work, it’s how we stay in touch with friends and family. But more and more commonly, it’s also becoming a quicksand pit for our time and mental energy, dragging us into needless shopping, scrolling, and self-comparison. It can dampen our self-esteem if we’re not careful, encouraging us to make decisions to buy things we really don’t need or creating false ideas of success and normalcy by showing others living their “perfect lives,” even though we know deep down those posts are mere illusions.
How do we avoid this? How can we successfully navigate the digital world so we can be more present, alive, and grateful in our physical world? How can we detox our phone/computer lives and ensure that our social media time is actually meaningful?
I’ve got you covered. You don’t even need to put on pants to do this. Stay in bed! Just grab your phone and take a look at your e-mail inbox and your social media feeds.
1) Detox Your Inbox
Alright, Gmail. I’m looking at you. Are you finding newsletters that are aimed at selling you stuff you don’t need? Are you afraid to unsubscribe because you’ll miss out on that big sale? Well, newsflash, most companies are trying to lasso you in to complete that purchase by advertising their “MASSIVE ONCE A YEAR SALE,” only to have the exact same sale with a different name a month later. Many of us feel that mini hit of dopamine, a sense of accomplishment, when we buy something on sale, even though it’s not a true sense of fulfillment. Companies are taking advantage of that! Hit that unsubscribe button. You’ll know when you actually need to buy something; you don’t need an e-mail to remind you (or if you do, you probably don’t really need it).
2) Detox Your Social Media Feeds
Next, tackle your social media feeds. For example, Instagram. As you scroll, are you seeing images from fast-fashion companies? If you’re unsure what fast-fashion is, check out this post here. But if you find that you do a lot of shopping for things that you don’t really need thanks to ads you see on the interweb, then wonder why you have so much damn stuff all over the place, unfollowing companies like this will help.
What I’ve tried to do with my social media is to follow only like-minded, eco-friendly companies and individuals that post inspirational content. People that are trying to make a difference for the planet, not for their wallet. If you want some ideas, head over to TGB Instagram account and check out the accounts I’m following there.
Detoxing your digital space will help you streamline your social media time and will probably even give you more time to spend in the physical world - your attention won’t be constantly pulled away by companies that are just trying to make a profit. You’ll be contributing to a greener planet by not falling prey to easy consumerism, and taking away business from companies that aren’t taking care of Mama Earth. It’s a win-win (well, maybe not for them, but for you and the planet!).
Sounds like an easy, worthy new year’s resolution to me! Clean up your feeds and your inbox, make yourself a cup of tea, and say “What’s UP!” to 2020. You know you’re going to be spending time in the digital world. It’s just time to make it a little more meaningful.
Do you have any other ideas for digital eco-resolutions? I wanna hear about it! Connect with me on social media or comment below.
I am hanging around in Idaho at the moment, loving the snow and the cold (suprising, but true!) and letting my body enjoy the rest that comes with shorter days. Remember to know the value of relaxation…take care of yourself!
Happy New Year’s, everyone, stay bright!
