The Department of Mental Health invites Missourians to join our Digital Detox Challenge to promote wellbeing, balance and connection!
Why Digital Detox?
We live in a hyper-connected world. Yet, anxiety, depression, loneliness and burnout are at an all-time high. Many people find themselves tethered to devices. Sometimes out of necessity, preference or habit. Device use can change our eyesight, hearing, sleep, posture and relationships. Attention span shortens, perpetual distraction feels like the norm, and our relationships can suffer without giving people our undivided attention and making quality human connection.
While technology can power creativity and innovation at work, it can also be a costly distraction. Technostress is any negative impact on attitudes, thoughts, behaviors, or body physiology that is caused either directly or indirectly by technology. Information overload, blurring of personal life during work hours, distractions that impact productivity, or ergonomic stress that leads to chronic health conditions can impact employees and teams in today’s workplaces.
What is the Digital Detox Challenge?
Join a month-long Digital Detox Challenge. Participate in August during National Wellness Month or anytime throughout the year. Weekly themes and daily suggestions will help you focus on your wellness by making small (or large) adjustments to how you use devices. This isn’t anti-tech; it’s healthy tech. Learn about digital wellness. Set and keep boundaries. Create healthier habits. See what happens to your overall wellbeing when you take the Digital Detox Challenge!
Goals:
Our goals are simple.
- Raise awareness about how your digital use may impact your wellbeing.
- Practice new habits to promote digital wellness.
- Improve social connections with real people in real time.
Structure
The challenge is organized in weekly themes with daily suggested activities, a reflection question and Level Up Challenge. Themes are designed to build upon one another- Awareness, Boundaries, Replacement then Reset. However, people can join the challenge at any time throughout the month.
- Week 1
Theme: Awareness – Learning how your technology use impacts your health and wellbeing.
Activities: 7
- Digital Habits Quiz
- Screen Time Snapshot
- Learn About Text Neck – Do you have it?
- Eyesight Muscle Exercise
- Attention Economy
- Addiction Loop & Addiction Quiz
- How Screens Impact Your Sleep
Level Up Challenge: Tell a friend or family and ask them to join you.
Reflection Question: What did you learn about your habits?
- Week 2
Theme: Boundaries – Practicing healthy tech use by setting reasonable expectations.
Activities: 7
- Sleep Quiz & Digital Health
- How Your Devices Can Help You – do you know settings you can use on your device to promote digital wellness (Set DND, Focus Time, Regular Sleep/Wake Time, Time Limits on Use, Black & White Screen, etc.)
- Delete Unused Apps
- Select a daily “No Post Hour” for social media (includes no posting, sharing, liking, commenting)
- No phone in bedroom, bathroom, mealtimes, driving
- Unsubscribe from emails, newsletters, memberships, etc.
- No phone for 60 min after waking (after checking alarm or missed calls)
Level Up Challenge: Reduce your screen time by 2 hours per day.
Reflection Question: Where else in your life can you limit use?
- Week 3
Theme: Replacement – Swapping device use for other activities and creating new habits.
Activities: 7
- Write down five phone numbers you can remember without using your phone
- Turn off GPS use physical map to get around
- Set up a No Phone Zone at home
- Be present at work without distractions – check phone only 2 x day
- Switch Scrolling for Walking or Journaling
- Visit in person vs Calling/Texting
- Put phone down, Pick up hobby
Level Up Challenge: Increase “No Post Hour” to 3 hr. per day (Sleep Time Excluded)
Reflection Question: What changes have you noticed in energy, sleep, mood, connection with others?
- Week 4
Theme: Reset – Making more permanent changes for balanced tech use.
- Create family rules for no device during meals, driving, bedtime
- Commit to make in-person connections and join group activities
- Delete social media accounts to 3 or less
- Adjust ringtone for family members, turn off notifications
- Set new rule: Don't work during vacations or days off
- Adopt 5/2 Diet (5 days with devices, 2 days without)
- Create family check-ins (Rose, Bud, Thorn)
- Regularly protect your eyesight, hearing, posture
- Create regular bedtime routine and Sleep/Wake Times
- Evaluate quality of your media behavior
Reflection Question: What did you learn about yourself during this Digital Detox Challenge?
Level Up Challenge: Keep up your momentum and learn about the Digital Flourishing Model
