How we learnt to unplug (without losing our minds)

We’ve all experienced it—endlessly scrolling through Instagram, overwhelmed by perfect vacation photos and elaborate brunch spreads.

At some point, you might wonder, “Why does my life feel like bland potato salad?” For many, the solution is clear: it’s time to unplug before we toss our phones into the ocean.

A digital detox is simply stepping away from devices to reconnect with reality. For some, this means going completely off-grid—goodbye Wi-Fi, hello nature.

For others, it’s about setting boundaries, like resisting the urge to check work emails at midnight or Googling “symptoms of sleep deprivation” at 3 a.m. (Spoiler: you’re just tired).

Let’s not kid ourselves—it’s not easy. The first hour without your phone feels like you've lost a limb. Your fingers itch for a scroll, your brain demands memes. But then something magical happens. You realise there’s a world out there beyond cat videos and people falling off trampolines. Who knew?

Take Aisha, a 30-year-old fashion entrepreneur who once believed the secret to success was being constantly on.

For years, her phone was practically glued to her hand, always buzzing with emails, orders, and notifications. “I thought I had to be available 24/7, or my business would implode,” she says, laughing. “Turns out, it was just me imploding.”

After she started her digital detox, she declared her evenings phone-free. The first few days? Rough. "I kept checking my hand, like some phantom phone was still there."

But soon, she found herself enjoying things she’d forgotten about—like sleeping or watching an entire movie without pausing to check her phone. “And guess what? My business didn’t collapse. Amazing.”

Then there’s Ben, a 24-year-old university student who deleted Instagram after realizing he was scrolling more than studying. “I deleted the app for a week as a joke,” he admits. “Next thing I knew, I was actually reading books again. Wild, right?”

Now, he limits his screen time to 30 minutes a day. “Who knew you could get so much done when you’re not watching pet pranks?”

And let’s not forget my friend Sarah, who has taken the ultimate step in the digital detox world: no social media.

Yes, you read that right—she’s not on Instagram, Facebook, or anything that involves mindless scrolling. When she first broke the news, I looked at her like she’d just announced she was moving to Mars.

“What’s it like?” I asked, half-expecting her to say she now lives in a yurt and churns her own butter.

But Sarah didn’t miss a beat. “It’s like... freedom,” she said, her eyes wide with mock seriousness. “Instagram was turning my brain into mush. I’d spend hours comparing myself to people who aren’t even real”.

After ditching the apps, she says her brain feels less foggy, and she spends her time doing things she actually enjoys, like reading or, you know, talking to people in real life.

Now, you might be thinking, “This sounds great, but can I really do it?” Yes, you can.

Start small—turn off notifications during meals, avoid checking emails in the bathroom (seriously, just stop), or try leaving your phone in another room while you sleep.

We’re not suggesting you ditch your devices forever. However, learning to unplug occasionally can help you escape a constant state of FOMO and appreciate the little things—like enjoying a meal without photographing it first.

As Sarah wisely put it, “No one needs to know what my breakfast looks like. Not even me.”