How to Detox Without Deleting Everything
You don’t have to burn it all down to feel better online. A balanced detox trims noise, keeps the humans, and gives your brain a quieter baseline. Think renovation, not demolition.
Before You Start
- Define the win: better sleep? more focus? less comparison?
- Pick a period: 14 days is perfect for a reset.
- Tell people: “I’ll be slow to reply here; text for anything important.”
Detox Moves That Work
- Move apps off page one; disable badges; keep notifications from humans only.
- Two daily windows for messages (e.g., 12:30, 18:30); greyscale at night.
- Unfollow aggressively; mute instead of drama; subscribe to one long-form source you finish.
What to Do With the Time
- Replace the reflex: book/playlist/walk within reach of where your phone used to live.
- Plan two unposted experiences weekly—museum, market, friend dinner.
Re-Entry Rules
- Keep notifications off by default; add back intentionally.
- Post on your schedule; hide like counts; track conversations, not reach.
Edge cases happen: you may need an app for work or family. Treat it like a tool—open with a purpose, close when done, no loitering. If you must be online, be there on purpose.
Remember: the goal isn’t purity; it’s peace. If your feeds serve your life after this, you did it right.
More from Ichhori: