Thoughts on digital detox in this age of hyperconnectivity, Floor tiles out of air | #DailyBlink76

Photo by Rodion Kutsaev on Unsplash

Digital detox refers to a period of time when a person refrains from using tech devices such as smartphones, televisions, computers, tablets, and social media sites.

“Detoxing” from digital devices is often seen as a way to focus on real-life social interactions without distractions. By avoiding digital devices, people can let go of the stress that results from constant connectivity.

Why Digital Detox?

As per Naval,

Now that we’re in an age of abundance, we can easily fall into addiction if we pursue pleasure for its own sake. And that’s hard to get out of.

The modern struggle is really about individuals — disconnected from their tribe, religion and cultural networks — who are trying to stand up to all these addictions that have been weaponized: alcohol, drugs, pornography, processed foods, news media, Internet, social media and video games.

Addictions are fake work and fake play

Addictions let you engage in fake play and fake work. Before, you had to go socialize with friends; now, you can just get drunk with a bunch of strangers. Before, you had to go find a mate, create children and raise a family; now, you can just watch a lot of porn. Before, you had to hunt and climb trees to get fruit for a little bit of natural sweetness; now, you can buy all the gelato you want.

The modern struggle is standing up to these weaponized addictions. They give you small doses of pleasure, but they also desensitize you and expose you to the misery of their absence.

Digital connectivity is making us feel that we are missing out on information once we cut off from the digital world. The social comparison makes it difficult for us to focus on your own journey. If you spend time on social media, you have probably found yourself comparing your own life to your friends, family, total strangers, and celebs.

You might find yourself thinking that everyone else seems to be leading a fuller, richer, or more exciting life based on the tiny, curated glimpse you see on their Instagram or Facebook posts. But it’s all the tip of the iceberg that we get to see.

7 different signs you might need a digital detox:

1. You feel anxious or stressed out if you can’t find your phone
2. You feel compelled to check your phone every few minutes
3. You feel depressed, anxious, or angry after spending time on social media
4. You are preoccupied with the like, comment, or reshare counts on your social posts
5. You’re afraid that you’ll miss something if you don’t keep checking your device
6. You often find yourself staying up late or getting up early to play on your phone
7. You have trouble concentrating on one thing without having to check your phone

So what to do?

1. Become selfish about how you are spending your time. We all understand at some point in time if our consumption is actually helps us become productive. Most of the time, it’s just entertainment.
2. Set limits on using your digital gadgets. Suppose for using a smartphone, I use Forest App. It helps me focus on my work. I’ll recommend using this app or any app that helps you focus on your works without distraction.
3. Another important step is removing distractions. Distractions are one of the real reasons we can't ever leave a mobile from our hands. The sense of FOMO is finely being rooted in our subconscious biases. I’ve been practicing this for the last 4 years and the results have been a phenomenon.
4. Turn Gray. Go to the setting and turn your phone into grayscale. Colors play a significant role in compelling you to use an app like forever. It has been engineered in such a fashion that you will feel guilty even if you keep down your phone only then triggering you to pick it back. Look around. The examples are all around you.
5. Keep your phone out of sight, out of mind. While reading books, I always keep my devices away from me so that it easier for me to focus on being present.
6. Avoid news, politics, debates anything that steals your peace away. Truth be told, all these are all zero and negative-sum games where you are invited to become part of the plan to fulfill their agenda. It’s easier to fall prey to the information that is thousands of miles away from you even though you do not know the whole picture. It can suck all your precious energies which you could have utilized in a productive way especially when you are in the early days of your career.

Below you can learn about 9 different ways from 9 different people on their experience on digital detoxification.

9 Simple Ways to Do a Digital Detox

🤔Have you ever thought of floor tiles could have been manufactured out of air pollutions?

Yes, a Mumbai based startup has been doing the same.

Meet Carbon Craft Design

As per Tejas Sidnal, the founder of Carbon Craft Design:

“Each carbon tile is equivalent to cleaning 30,000 liters of air! Moreover, these tiles consume only one-fifth of the energy required to manufacture vitrified tiles. This means, instead of burning the tiles to come up with the finished product, we use a hydraulic press that helps us in manufacturing these tiles.

The startup is working closely in collaboration with Air-Ink, a Boston-based startup that is processing the air pollutants and providing them with the soot to use in their innovation.

🔥Their Vision: Our ultimate vision is to be able to construct a carbon-conscious building that is made using each component derived from processing air pollutants.

Tiles that represent cultural identities

Tiles that represent different industries

Ain't this cool?

Well, you can read more about them here:

Mumbai Startup Creates Carbon Tiles Out of Polluted Air. Brilliant!

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope you find it helpful. Say Hi 👋 Twitter Instagram. I’d love to connect.

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