It’s winter break. It’s the perfect time to relax, catch up on sleep, and . . . ping! ping! ping! What’s that? It’s your phone with another notification. Relaxing? Not so much. The purpose of a vacation is to take a break from your routine. It’s hard to do that when you’re glued to a screen. That’s why this is the perfect time to give your tech a time-out.
Don’t worry, we’re not telling you to go screen-free forever. But taking a mini tech break can have big payoffs. “Tech breaks can especially be beneficial when it comes to healthy sleep patterns and social interactions,” Lucía Magis-Weinberg says. She’s a professor who studies the impact of digital technology on kids. Your time away from your screens will set you up for a successful second semester when you return from your winter break.
Ready to get started? Read on for some ways to replace your favorite online activities with IRL alternatives. Then ask friends or family members to join you on your screen-free vacay. The less left out you feel, the more fun your tech mini-break will be.
Pro tip: Start your tech break ASAP. Studies have shown it can take about two weeks for you to stop feeling the urge to reach for your phone. Your new habits will need a while to form as well, so try to do at least one offline activity every day of your break.