Digital detox aims to restore focus

Every so often, 31-year-old Chen Jiawen, a product designer at a technology company in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, sets aside a day for herself called Unplug Day. On this day, she disconnects from the digital world and focuses on real-life experiences.

In the morning, she prepares breakfast for herself while listening to music. In the afternoon, she strolls through the park with friends and in the evening, they enjoy a meal together without touching their phones, engaged in deep conversation. Upon returning home, she spends the evening reading. Throughout this day, she only connects to the internet twice: once for navigation and once to coordinate with friends.

"Occasionally disconnecting from the network is like feeding the brain a day of vegetarian food," Chen said.

Unplug Day is part of her plan to combat information overload from excessive phone use and to rebuild her focus. In addition to this, she has started substituting short videos with longer ones and prioritizes reading in-depth news articles or books.

Chen started the plan as she often felt "disrupted" by technology, citing moments of distraction like pop-up notifications, ring tones and persistent alerts leading her to check for new messages, and feelings of information overload.

"If my Apple Watch has the WeChat notification feature enabled, I feel like it's akin to electronic shackles because the moment I see someone's message, I feel compelled to reply immediately," she said.

"When friends gather and everyone is glued to their phones, it makes me uncomfortable," Chen said, adding that immersing herself in social media prevented her from completing planned tasks, leading to psychological burdens and a diminished focus.

It's become a common scenario where modern people might unconsciously use the time spent waiting at traffic lights to watch a short video or constantly check out a trending topic upon receiving a push notification from an app.

To combat this sense of being "controlled" by mobile devices, some young Chinese like Chen are experimenting with digital minimalism and are discovering positive outcomes from their efforts.

They are consciously reducing the disruptions caused by their phones, controlling the time and context in which they engage with social media, hiding apps in folders that require several clicks to access, and turning off notifications.

Chen often shares her practice on minimalism and her exploration of digital wellbeing on a social media platform. With more than 3,600 followers, her posts have garnered more than 46,000 likes.

"Technology should bring you joy, not reduce the time you spend with family or increase your anxiety," she said. "My ultimate goal is to control technology rather than letting it control me."

Taking control

According to a report released by the China Internet Network Information Center, as of June 2023, the average weekly internet usage per capita for Chinese netizens is 29.1 hours, an increase of 2.4 hours from December 2022. The proportion of netizens using mobile phones to access the internet has reached 99.8 percent.

The Annual Report on Beijing Social Mentality in 2020 revealed a positive correlation between mobile phone addiction and anxiety and depression levels. The more addicted individuals are to their phones, the higher their levels of anxiety and depression soar.

With flashy graphics, catchy background music and fragmented content, short videos have become one of the most important ways for people to relax, entertain themselves and gather information, making them a product that easily encourages individuals to spend time watching.

The report indicates that as of June 2023, the number of short video users has reached 1.02 billion, accounting for 95 percent of the overall netizen population.

Although short videos often fail to leave a lasting impression or require critical thinking, the constant influx of new content keeps individuals eagerly anticipating the next one.

Sha Xu, 30, from Beijing, made the decision in June 2023 to break free from her addiction of scrolling through short videos on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

The decision came after she resigned from her job to become a self-media creator, where disciplined time management is crucial.

"I used to procrastinate on less urgent tasks by watching videos and then I would forget what I originally intended to do," Sha said. Previously, she spent around two hours every day watching short videos, sometimes staying up past midnight.

She made a plan to gradually abstain from using Douyin for a month and moved the app to a folder on her phone that required multiple steps to access, reducing the temptation to open it.

After a month, she overcame her addiction. Now, she limits her video consumption to brief moments, such as during bathroom breaks. The practice embraced by young people is what United States author Cal Newport refers to as digital minimalism.

In 2019, the professor of computer science wrote the book Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World.

In the book, he highlights the unsettling feeling brought about by excessive time and energy spent on apps.

The author proposes a philosophy of technology use called digital minimalism in which you radically reduce the time you spend staring at screens, focusing instead on a small number of digital activities that support things you deeply value and then happily ignoring the rest.

"You'll take walks, talk to friends in person, engage with your community, read books and stare at the clouds. Most importantly, the declutter gives you the space to refine your understanding of the things you value most," he wrote.

Sha said her practice has bolstered her sense of discipline, enabling her to stick to plans.

The time previously spent on watching videos is now redirected toward more focused activities, like reading a book.

"While short videos provide instant gratification, they offer little long-term value. Relying on algorithmic recommendations trap individuals in a filter bubble, limiting our exposure to a broader range of information," she said.

"It's important for us to curate the information we come across daily, practice digital decluttering, and prioritize essential content," she added.

Various measures have been taken to help teenagers avoid excessive use of electronic devices. More than 400 students and their parents at a middle school in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, signed an agreement in 2023 at the beginning of the new semester to practice a digital detox.

This initiative was prompted by teachers' observations after the winter break, noticing a significant increase in students' reliance on phones, leading to a decline in classroom engagement. Also, many parents admitted to frequently using their phones even when spending time with their children.

The agreement stipulates that students must refrain from using electronic devices during weekdays and limit usage to no more than one hour on weekends. If they need to access information, it should be done under parental supervision.

Parents are also required to lead by example by ensuring they do not become addicted to their phones and refrain from using them during their children's study time.

Businesses have also seized the opportunity by offering a box with a password lock on e-commerce platforms.

Marketed under the name "self-discipline tool", these boxes restrict phone usage to only making and receiving calls during the locked period.

Netizens have praised these devices, claiming it was instrumental during their preparation for the postgraduate entrance exam, helping them overcome distractions from their phone, or aiding in adjusting their sleep schedule.

However, some working people also joked that these devices are seen as only suitable for individuals who have the privilege of not needing to use WeChat for work.