Even if you don’t think your phone drives your life or that social media ruins your relationships, spending all day and night staring at different screens is not a recipe for pristine health. And, to be clear, refraining from checking your phone every two minutes is not the same as deciding to take a break from it altogether. Repeatedly checking mobile devices is a habitual tick of the technology age, which is why Well+Good council member and founder of Mama Glow, Latham Thomas, says she practices “phone fasting.”
In an Instagram post that details the the importance of being present and really enjoying the special moments in life, Thomas outlined her phone-fasting practice, advising her followers to “challenge yourself to log off for one day” or, if that seems completely impossible, to “wean yourself for a few hours to start” and keep a journal to mindfully log emotions throughout the day.
Once you have phone fasting down, consider taking another piece of Thomas’ advice and rethink the alarm clock that starts your day.
A digital detox could make you happier, according to science, so here is how to do it without actually ditching your phone.