This could look like leaving your cell in the charger, out of sight, while you’re eating dinner. Or taking your dog for a 10-minute walk without it. These baby steps can subtly break the habit of needing to constantly reach for your phone, Dr. Nesi says, making it easier to see that, hey, you don’t need to expect constant pings and notifications every second.
4. Enlist the help of another app—or friend—to hold you accountable.
It’s easy enough to delete a few apps, but if you’re worried about maintaining your cleanse, there are focus tools, like Freedom, Pomodoro, and Self Control, that can block access from platforms like Instagram and Facebook, in case the temptation creeps in.
Better yet, you can turn your digital detox into a team effort with a friend who’s also feeling the pull to unplug. Together, you can hold each other accountable, Dr. Colier says, by celebrating small wins and preoccupying yourselves with new activities. For instance, sign up for post-work yoga sessions together, or plan regular no-phones dinner dates. Sharing the experience not only makes it easier to stay on track, but it’s also an opportunity to strengthen your IRL connection as you swap mindless scrolling for meaningful memories.
5. Replace your usual phone time with a non-techy substitute
Rather than turning to another screen (a computer or TV, for instance) to fill the void, both experts recommend using those in-between moments to immerse yourself in a hobby that doesn’t rely on technology.
There are plenty of mental health benefits to this—and the best part is, it’s not about the specific activity itself. Rather, just having one at all to tap into those feel-good chemicals. The key, according to Colier, is doing something that keeps your mind engaged (and distracted), without being so tedious that it feels like a chore. In other words, don’t force yourself to complete a 1000-piece puzzle or go birdwatching if neither of those things genuinely pique your interest. (Looking for more inspo? Consider crafting, painting, yoga, or baking.)
Generally, it also helps to reframe this break not as a restriction, but more so an opportunity to dive into something you’ve been meaning to do more of—whether that’s making running a daily habit, say, finally committing to a consistent meditation routine, or experimenting with a new dinner recipe each week. Plus, you can always carry over any new hobbies you picked up during this hiatus into your post-cleanse life (which brings us to our final pointer).
6. Reintroduce your phone mindfully.
The whole purpose of your social media cleanse would fall flat if you immediately jumped back into those same unhelpful scrolling patterns—which is why both experts say it’s important to ease back in with intention.
Maybe you start by redownloading a few apps vs. all of them at once. Or if you’re worried about slipping into your doomscrolling days, Colier recommends turning off notifications (maybe except for texts and emails), so you’re not bombarded with constant pings.
There’s no right answer to how long a “good” break needs to last—it’s all about what feels right for you. The good news, though, is you can simply delete the apps anytime they stop serving you. As long as you stay aware of when your phone begins to feel draining or unhelpful—and follow the expert tips above—you can create a relationship with your device that adds to your life, instead of pulling you away from it.
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