Digital Detox Ideas

In this story:

Have a plan
Get a little help
Find screen-free activities
Build daily habits
Track your progress
Celebrate your wins

We’re in the age of the infinite scroll, so finding ways to break free from your tech has never been harder or more important than ever. It’s not just a phone cleanse; it’s reclaiming your time and clearing your mind. If the opinions of strangers are crowding your thoughts, you’re stuck in a comparison trap, or the doomscroll is bringing you down, it’s time to nip that habit in the bud.

Two friends at an in-person crochet class

Your new digital detox superpower? Crafts!

Crafts are like the antithesis to the digital world. Where scrolling fractures your attention, crafts are all about the flow state. Where social media is all about consuming, creativity is about making. And while excessive screen time has been linked to poorer mental wellbeing, creative activities can help improve mood.

Pair a hands-on hobby with a few practical digital detox strategies, and you'll be well on your way to building healthier habits that actually stick.

Have a plan

When it comes to reducing screen time, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. For some, going cold turkey is the only option; for others, cold turkey only makes the urge stronger.

The trick is figuring out what works for you and creating a plan you can realistically stick with. There’s no need to try everything all at once. Start slow, see what works and tweak the plan as you go.

A woman tries learning to draw instead of going on her phone

Some digital detox ideas you can try:

Setting screen-free hours, like no phone, laptop or TV before 9 am or after 9 pm.
Buying a lockbox or timed phone safe.
Setting app limits or daily screentime restrictions.
Switching your phone to greyscale, to make it less stimulating.
Create screen-free zones, like your bed or dining table.
Using a ‘dumb phone’.
Deleting the apps that tempt you the most from your phone.
Turning off notifications where you can.

Get a little help

Sometimes, willpower alone just isn’t enough. You’re up against billion-dollar companies and their top engineers. Lucky for you, help is at hand.

Two friends have fun at a pottery class

Apps and physical devices that block distracting websites, like Brick, can help break the automatic habit of reaching for your phone. Having an accountability partner can also make a huge difference, whether that's your partner, a friend or someone who's trying to cut back too. Sometimes we’re more okay with disappointing ourselves than others.

Another powerful strategy is to read books and articles about what screens are doing to our health and attention, or on the benefits of a digital detox. This is a strategy that both educates you and flexes your focus muscle (and screen-free time).

Online communities like Reddit's dumb phone community can also offer encouragement, although keep in mind that Reddit is accessed through a screen; joining an in-person hobby group is even better.

If you feel like your screen habits are seriously affecting your wellbeing, speak with your GP or another healthcare professional. There's absolutely no shame in asking for support.

Find screen-free activities

One of the biggest reasons digital detoxes fail is because people focus on what they're giving up instead of a replacement.

Boredom is when most people start scrolling. So let’s not replace staring at a screen with staring at a wall. There are a bunch of screen-free activities you could try depending on your personality, and whilst self-improvement habits like exercise and meditation are good choices, it’s not always helpful to try and do too much at once. To keep things simple, keep your focus on starting one screen-free habit, not building an entirely new lifestyle (yet).

This is where crafting shines. And workshops and classes are particularly helpful here because you won’t be watching a YouTube video. You’ll be in-person surrounded by real people.

Here's a quick guide to finding the right screen-free hobby for your personality.

A couple enjoy a screen free date night with candle making class

Hobby	Best for	Difficuly
Crochet	Fidgeters who always need something to do with their hands.	Medium. There's a learning curve, but it soon becomes second nature.
Pottery	Burned-out souls who need to touch the earth.	Easy to start. Hand building is particularly beginner-friendly.
Drawing	Anyone looking for a low-cost, low-pressure hobby with minimal starting equipment.	Easy to begin, though mastery can take years.
Jewellery making	Productivity resters.	Varies from simple beading through to intricate silversmithing.
Candle making	Homebodies wanting to create a cosy atmosphere.	Easy, although it involves working with hot wax.
Woodworking	Serious analogue dreamers.	Challenging but worth it.

Build daily habits

In addition to having a plan, the daily, weekly or monthly habits you commit to can help keep you off the screens. Start small and watch the effects snowball. Eventually, reaching for a screen won’t feel like second nature.

Maybe that's leaving your phone outside the bedroom every night. Reading a few chapters before bed instead of scrolling. Taking a ten-minute screen break every hour or going for a walk after work. If you’re a keen cook, you can try cooking from an actual cookbook instead of following recipes on your phone, or better yet, attend a cooking class with a friend! Speaking of friends, start calling instead of texting (or bring back letters).

Two friends at a cooking class

You can habit stack by enjoying your morning coffee without checking emails or challenge yourself to do ten sit-ups before you're allowed to unlock your phone.

You could even start with just one screen-free day a week or month and see how you feel. Don't be discouraged if it feels uncomfortable at first. Like any habit change, a digital detox can come with an adjustment period. You might feel restless, bored or even more irritable before you start noticing the benefits. But with consistency, those cravings become easier to manage, and your offline world starts to feel a whole lot more rewarding.

Track your progress

If seeing your progress keeps you motivated, track it!

Digital apps are super easy, and there are many paid and free versions out there, but it’s digital. Pretty bullet journals work just as well (bonus: bullet journalling counts as a screen-free hobby!). You can find ideas on Pinterest or try a journaling workshop for inspiration.

Celebrate your wins

Choose a milestone to work towards, whether that's one week, two weeks or a month of healthier screen habits.

Giving yourself an end date is particularly helpful for non-cold-turkey quitters, who feel the panic set in as soon as they can’t have something. Whenever you feel a craving, remind yourself it's only a few more days.

By the time you reach your goal, you’ve likely already made strides towards breaking the habit, and it’s easier to continue.

Don't forget to celebrate along the way, too. Every day you hit your screen time goal deserves a little reward. Treat yourself to your favourite comfort drink, buy that new ball of yarn or do whatever makes you feel good. Recognise it as an act of self-care and give yourself some gratitude.