Digital Detox for Creatives: Signs & Solutions
- Adilla
- Aug 4
- 4 min read
You stare at your blank canvas or even a sketchbook, not knowing what to do, so you pick up your phone. Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, then back to Instagram again—when will it stop?
If you find yourself doomscrolling on all kinds of online platforms to fill the gap of your time, it’s time for a social media break or rather, a digital detox.
There’s a chance that you’re also going through a creative burnout from the excessive amount of media you are consuming on a daily basis.
Table of Contents
Why Always ‘On’ Hurts Creativity
Whether we realise it or not, online platforms are designed to keep you hooked on their apps, especially features of ‘likes,’ ‘shares,’ and ‘comments.’ The dopamine release that’s triggered from interacting on social media leads creatives to seek external validation. If left unchecked, creatives would only create for the validations they receive instead of for the art.
3 Signs You Need a Digital Detox
Using Online as A Way to Escape
Whether escaping from your mind or your problems using online platforms as a means to escape reality, it’s time to consider a digital rest. In the long run, this will be harmful in how you wire your brain when a conflict arises for you. Instead of dealing with the issues head-on, you will automatically go to social media to comfort your mind.
Neglecting Your Health and Sleep
Other than scrolling through the night, your posture as you scroll could affect your health. Plus, you might even find yourself delaying or skipping meals entirely because your attention is glued to the screen.
Constantly Updating Your Life Online
When your mind constantly brings up what is going on in TikTok right now or wonders what your friends’ statuses are first thing in the morning or even updates your status as soon as you wake up, it's time for a social media break.
Also read: 6 Ways To Stop Feeling Guilty When Resting
How to Get It Out of Your System?
Pay Attention to Your Emotions
What are you trying to achieve by staying online constantly? Are you bored, or does looking through it make you feel better? Check the timing of when you look at your phone, too. Is it during breaks or right before bedtime?
Once you pinpoint this, if there are healthier replacements to fill in the time you scroll through your phone, it’s best to do that for your peace of mind.
Setting a Timer for Your Apps
Out of personal experience, setting a timer on your apps can make you realise how much time you spend going through your phone. Some smartphones come with a timer built in. When you check the “App info” of your applications, there should be a setting for “Screen time.”
Turn Off Notifications
This might be extreme, but unfortunately, we do tend to jump back into social media whenever notifications come up. Out of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), we would scroll unknowingly, as you scroll to find out what your friends are up to.
So, to prevent that, turn off your notifications; you won’t miss out on anything. Social media will still be the same when you come back to it.
What to Do Instead of Scrolling?
Honestly, let yourself be bored. It’s very tempting to pick up your phone to fill the space when you have nothing to do. But doing nothing helps your imagination thrive better; the space of doing nothing encourages your brain to fill it with your thoughts rather than the media that you consume.
Conclusion
When you start ‘doomscrolling,’ then for the sake of your mental wellness, it’s time for a digital detox.
Find different activities to fill your time or not at all, and let your imagination wander.
Use digital devices for what they are: finding connection and inspiration, not a replacement for your boredom, digital minimalism.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How does social media exposure affect creativity?
Social media exposure towards creativity can be both good and bad. It can give you a boost of inspiration and can also trap you in a rabbit hole of comparing your art with other artists.
What is digital detox?
Digital detox is taking time off digital devices, whether it’s a smartphone, computer, or television, to reduce the stress that comes with engaging online platforms.
How long should a digital detox last?
While the time for digital detox varies, a good start is just a few hours a day. At the beginning, this can be jarring to do, so start by taking short breaks of 30 minutes or more if you can find something else to replace social media scrolling.
What are alternatives to using your phone?
Consider engaging in physical activities that don’t involve your phone, such as reading a book, going for a walk, enjoying the scenery, or participating in an event.
Author Bio
With a background in Arts English, Adilla has been a casual writer for various hobbies like parodies of animated shows and plots for board games. She loves to read anything and everything from fantasy stories to articles on tips and tricks. Now an advocate for mental health and effective project management for the creative industry. Currently, Adilla resides in Malaysia and is a creative writer at TESSR. To know more about her, check out her LinkedIn.
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