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BITESIZE | Transform Your Life with a Digital Detox | Adam Alter #276

May 26, 2022 15m 43s 11 insights
Technology can have such a pervasive impact in all areas of our life from our health and happiness to the quality of our relationships.   Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 132 of the podcast with author and expert on the compulsive nature of technology, Adam Alter. In this clip, Adam explains that, whilst there are so many positive uses of technology, we need to be mindful in how we use it. He gives some great tips to help us restore balance and live a rich, meaningful and healthy life. Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/132 Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Audit Your Screen Behavior

Systematically audit your screen behavior to identify which forms of screen use genuinely enhance your well-being and which ones detract from it, then adjust your usage accordingly.

2. Mindful Phone Use Reflection

Before using your phone, pause to reflect on the underlying psychological need it’s meeting (e.g., loneliness, boredom, anxiety), and then explore alternative ways to fulfill that need.

3. Bedroom Phone Ban

Remove your phone from the bedroom entirely, especially 60-90 minutes before bedtime, to create dedicated phone-free periods and improve the quality of your rest.

4. Phone-Free Dinner Time

Keep phones out of reach and sight during dinner, ideally in another room, to foster presence, communication, and stronger relationships during meals.

5. Use an Unplugged Box

Employ a physical ‘unplugged box’ or similar container in sensitive areas of your home, like the kitchen, to store devices and prevent their impulsive use.

6. Adopt Life Experimentalism

Embrace a philosophy of experimentalism by consciously trying out different ways of living (e.g., varying tech use) to discover better alternatives and understand their impact on your well-being.

7. Daily Digital Detox Periods

Implement regular, short ‘digital detoxes’ throughout your day, such as the first hour after waking or around lunch, to consistently experience periods without screens.

8. Take Screen-Free Walks/Days

Engage in screen-free activities like long walks in nature or designate entire days (e.g., Sundays) without phones to experience profound restoration and a sense of holiday.

9. Seek Small Bursts of Nature

Actively seek out small, restorative bursts of nature exposure, such as observing running water or wind through leaves, as an antidote to constant technology immersion.

10. Spend Time in Timeless Scenes

Intentionally spend time in environments or interactions (e.g., looking into someone’s eyes, natural landscapes) where you cannot tell what year it is, as this experience is deeply restorative.

11. Daily AG1 for Gut Health

Consume AG1 daily to support digestion and enrich your gut microbiome, as its five strains of gut bacteria have been shown to increase beneficial bacteria up to tenfold.