Create Tech-Free Zones at Home
Weekly Wellness Challenge
This week we challenge you to create tech-free zones at home. Disconnect to reconnect.
Technology surrounds us, often making it difficult to escape its pull. Phones, computers, and televisions are constantly demanding our attention, leaving little space for true rest or connection.
This week, we challenge you to create tech-free zones in your home. These spaces will be free from screens and devices, giving you the opportunity to disconnect, recharge, and be more present.
Why?
Incorporating tech-free zones into your home is about setting boundaries, not rejecting technology entirely. These areas provide a mental break from constant digital interaction, allowing you to focus on relaxation, creativity, and real-life connections.
Benefits of Tech-Free Zones Include:
Enhanced Focus
By removing distractions, tech-free zones help you focus on tasks that require attention, whether it’s reading, writing, or engaging in a hobby.
Improved Sleep Quality
Exposure to screens before bedtime disrupts sleep cycles. Keeping your bedroom tech-free can promote better rest and help you wake up feeling more refreshed.
Stronger Relationships
Spending time away from screens allows you to connect with family and friends without distractions, deepening bonds and improving communication.
Reduced Stress
Taking regular breaks from technology helps lower stress levels, giving your mind space to unwind and recover.
Better Mental Health
Limiting screen time, especially social media, as we’ve mentioned in a previous newsletter, can reduce anxiety and improve mood, leading to a more balanced mental state.
Recommendations
Step 1: Choose Your Tech-Free Zone
Select a place in your home where you often use devices or feel distracted. This could be your bedroom (for better sleep), the living room (for quality time with loved ones), or a quiet nook for relaxation.
Step 2: Establish Clear Boundaries
Set simple rules—no phones, laptops, or TVs allowed during certain times, such as during meals, before bed, or first thing in the morning.
Step 3: Fill the Space with Meaningful Activities
Use this time to engage in activities that promote relaxation, such as reading, journaling, practicing mindfulness, or simply having conversations.
Step 4: Stay Consistent
Aim for at least 1-2 hours daily without technology in your tech-free zone. Consistency will help you develop a habit of disconnecting and creating space for mental clarity.
Stats
American Psychological Association (2019): 57% of people report feeling stressed by the constant need to stay connected to devices and social media.
Sleep Foundation (2021): Using screens before bed can delay the production of melatonin, disrupting sleep and reducing sleep quality.
Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology (2018): Limiting social media use to just 30 minutes a day resulted in improved well-being and a reduction in loneliness.
World Health Organization (2020): Studies suggest that excessive screen time can be linked to higher rates of depression and anxiety, particularly in adolescents. Screen time exceeding 2 hours per day is associated with a 23% increased risk of depression and 18% increased risk of anxiety.
Tools to Help
Forest – An app that helps you stay focused by growing virtual trees when you put your phone down.
StayFree – can help you block apps and set thoughtful limits on your usage and schedule time away from your phone throughout the day.
Further Inspiration & Information
TED Talk
Book
Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World – Cal Newport’s guide to living intentionally in a digital world.
Academic Study
Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being - Jean M Twenge & W Keith Campbell.
Taking time away from screens isn’t about rejecting technology—it’s about creating intentional space for rest, connection, and mindfulness.
By establishing tech-free zones, you’ll allow your mind to refresh and focus on what truly matters.
