Detox for Success: How Digital Detoxification Can Enhance Productivity and Well-Being

Introduction

Smartphones, social media, the internet, and other digital technologies have grown at an exponential rate in the modern period (Milicevic, 2015). While these advancements have provided countless benefits, they have also introduced new issues, such as information overload, constant distractions, shorter attention spans, and increased stress and anxiety (Wilcockson et al., 2019). Digital detoxification tries to address these concerns by giving people back control over their technology habits and establishing healthy relationships with their devices (Miksch and Schulz, 2018). Taking a break from technology and media is not a novel idea (Anrijs et al., 2018). Concerns about internet addiction and its detrimental impacts on personal life and productivity began to arise in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as the internet became more widely available to the general public (Schmitt et al., 2021). People's reliance on digital gadgets was growing, raising awareness of the need to create a balance between technology and real-life experiences. The term “digital detox” became popular in the mid-2000s as smartphones and social media platforms proliferated (Radtke et al., 2022).

Digitization is transforming society in many ways, including the workplace and people's personal lives (Cijan et al., 2019). As a result, professionals are confronted with technology not just in the context of their employment, but also during their working hours. Communication technology has altered how people organize and carry out their social activities (Madianou et al., 2015). It mediates how people communicate with one another as well as how relationships are formed and sustained (Cascio et al., 2016). As a result, communication technology is frequently considered a tool that individuals utilize to satisfy their need for belonging and relatedness to feel socially connected. Individuals are at risk of social isolation as remote work arrangements become more prevalent because of a shift in working styles across industries and unforeseeable emergencies such as the COVID-19 epidemic (Sharma et al., 2019). In times of social isolation, adopting communication technologies may assist individuals in remaining socially connected (Chen and Schulz, 2016). However, because of the continual permeation of digitally mediated communication in public, professional, and private activities, this socio-technical circuit results in increased screen time and unprecedented effects (Syvertsen and Enli, 2020). As a result, perceived digital overuse can be identified as a new social concern and is characterised as a common, but less pathological, sense of being overwhelmed by communication content and connections (Gui et al., 2017). Affected persons may suffer unfavourable effects on both a personal and professional level, as well as have their general well-being compromised (Gui and Büchi, 2020). Eventually, perceived digital usage can develop into IT addiction, which is a psychological condition of maladaptive dependency on IT use manifested through obsessive-compulsive habits (Pontes et al., 2015). The constant connectivity and notifications from these devices began to influence people's attention spans, sleep patterns, and overall well-being (Kuss and Griffiths, 2017). At this point, the concept of intentionally stepping away from technology for a period to recharge and reconnect with the offline world had become a prominent topic in self-help books, wellness blogs, and media discussions (Kwon et al., 2016). The phrase “digital detox” gained even more traction with the growth of the digital wellness movement, which encourages the thoughtful and aware use of technology (Wilcockson et al., 2019). To combat burnout and digital weariness, businesses and organisations began to offer programmes, courses, and retreats focused on disconnecting from technology (Schmuck, 2020).